Public Distrust Haunts Government’s Digital Push

More than a third of the Australian population is unwilling to provide personal information to the Federal Government because they don’t trust it to keep data secure, a new survey suggests.

The study also found that about half were also uncomfortable about their personal data being used to inform policy and research.

The results, published in the Canberra Times, indicate that the Government faces a major challenge as it tries to drive more services online, which could severely impact its much-hyped Digital Transformation strategy.

The survey of public attitudes to government collection and use of data was carried out by Boston Consulting Group and Salesforce.

More than half of those surveyed were concerned about hacking and unauthorised use of their data.

The survey also found a 56% increase in the number of Australians accessing government services online, but said satisfaction with the standard of the services was falling.

People interviewed cited difficulty with online transactions and inadequate information as major concerns.