New research commissioned by Netwatch has found that more than half (58%) of Irish people worry about a data breach resulting in their personal information being leaked by a company.

The research was undertaken by Coyne among 1,000 participants and found that 55% of Irish people have concerns about how Irish businesses are handling their personal data.

While 89% of people agree that data is playing an increasingly important role in Irish business, there is not often confidence in how businesses are handling and securing this data, according to the survey. There is also uncertainty amongst the Irish public when it comes to protecting themselves. Just 40% of respondents agree that they understand their rights regarding how businesses handle their data.

The main area of focus for this research was the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – a strict set of data regulations for businesses operating in the EU, which comes into effect in May 2018. The GDPR will have a huge effect on both Irish businesses and consumers – but only 23% of Irish people understand what GDPR is, and just one fifth (20%) are aware of how GDPR affects them personally.

Article Source: Business World

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