According to recent reports, consumer/user data is doubling every two years, and marketers are getting smarter about leveraging this information — the wise use of data is expected to flourish in 2012. But consumers are getting smarter as well, and it seems they aren't as big of fans of big data.

 

In a recent Forrester Customer Intelligence report, 37,000 U.S. and Canadian adults were surveyed on their opinions of the online collection of personal information. There are some things they want you to know that they don't want you to know:

 

Social Security number (72%)

Credit card number (71%)

Driver's license number (62%)

Phone number (58%)

Credit score (57%)

Mailing address (50%)

Transaction history (with other companies) (49%)

Email address (46%)

Name (42%)

Transaction history (with that company) (40%)

 

That's correct: 40%+ consumers don't even want you to know their names or what they've purchased from you in the past. And while keeping a credit card number on file may seem like an added convenience, over 70% are not interested due to privacy concerns. Data is certainly everywhere, but some consumers are holding back. Occasionally, they will hold back more than just information; 44% of consumers have reportedly abandoned an online transaction due to issues with the privacy policy, and this percentage has only increased since 2008.

 

Perhaps we need to rethink data collection and privacy policies. In the meantime, consumers are least concerned with you collecting their posted online reviews (19%). Start there?