Fears and fatigue are on the rise in the online world, warns Yvonne Kiely, director and digital lead of advisory at EY, and head of EY-Seren in Ireland.
The Letterkenny native said there is rising anxiety over the impact of the internet on well-being, which has been increased during the pandemic.
This is according to the first instalment of the EY study, Decoding the Digital Home, which evaluates consumer attitudes to digital connectivity, technology and content consumption.
The study found that 39% of respondents are very cautious about disclosing personal data online. Notably the 18-34 age group are more concerned about data disclosure (43%) than those aged 45 or older (36%).
Despite some regional variation, the survey finds that households adopted a range of services for the first time during national lockdowns. Video calling led with a 25% increase in adoption, while online health services (up 20%) and education (up 18%) have also grown exponentially. Across all markets, 44% of respondents said their internet connectivity needs have increased.
Head of EY-Seren, EY Ireland Yvonne Kiely said the warning signs should be noted: “The pandemic has dramatically altered the landscape of products and services consumed by households, how they are consumed, and when.
“Whilst digital inclusion is on the rise, as connectivity and content providers act as a critical platform for socioeconomic interaction, so too does the challenge around consumer anxiety and bad actors.
“Long periods spent at home have seen households question their reliance on the online world.”
Ms Kiely warns that if service providers ignore the warning signs regarding data protection and consumer anxiety, then new products and services will fail to gain traction, trust will be eroded, and loyalty will reduce.
Ms Kiely commented: “Providers must not take the goodwill they have generated during the COVID-19 pandemic for granted. Demand for connectivity and content has risen but is overshadowed by a deep-rooted desire for value – and an explicit value and protection exchange – alongside signs of fatigue with the digital world.
“To thrive in the future, providers will need to offer simple and intuitive services that reduce the sense of overload felt by consumers and better rationales for spending more. Simplified, overt controls and access to consumption patterns will see providers that work together to solve digital well-being challenges stand to win in the market.”
