2014; the internet is now a quarter of a decade old. It has advanced considerably in that time, taking on a form that very few could have imagined. But has it matured?
The past 18 months have been a pivotal time in the development and future of the Internet. It has been ousted as a secretive, fickle and treacherous environment. After Edward Snowden corroborated our data privacy fears, the volume and focus of discussions on the topic have been astounding. Yet here we are, a year and a half later and still no closer to resolving the issues raised.
Every day I meet and talk to people that are quite rightly worried about the data being collected on them. Some of those people have even gone so far as to stop using certain online services and apps as well as closing accounts down completely.
This rejection of unfair and ambiguous terms of service and business practices is fascinating to me; are we finally taking a stand against the Internet, the DatenKraken, the un-normal norm?
In response to this, we have commissioned research which looks to identify the point at which people believe the benefits no longer outweigh the risks and therefore switch off from a particular online service.
As you’ll see from our report, the reasons for wanting to quit are varied, but they all link back to a failure of the big Internet companies to properly communicate with people exactly what is happening to their data in a clear and transparent manner.
What is very clear from the research is that services need to evolve with people in mind, rather than the people following services aimlessly. Internet companies have a responsibility to be open and honest with the people that have grown to depend on the amenities they offer.
We hope that this report will open the eyes and minds of more users, fan the flames of Internet revolution and help to create a more open and respectful environment.
You can read the full report at www.open-xchange.com/CrossingTheLine. Please share your feedback and comments with us, either in the comment section below or through our twitter handle, @openexchange.
The conversation is just beginning.
