A survey has revealed 56% of consumers are not aware of their rights related to personal data and 69% of consumers are not aware of their rights to take back their consent.

The survey conducted by PwC India said only 16% of consumers are aware of the DPDP Act across diverse geographies, age groups, occupational backgrounds and urban-rural divides.

Whenever a minor’s personal data is involved, 72% of respondents are not aware that handling a minor’s personal data requires a parent/guardian consent, it added.

The revelations were made by PwC in its report titled “How aware and prepared are Indian consumers and businesses to navigate the new era of digital privacy”.

It said a significant awareness gap exists not only among consumers but also among organisations as only 40% of organisations surveyed claim to understand the act.

Among these, only 9% of organisations report a comprehensive understanding. Despite the gap, many organisations do not plan to invest in creating consumer rights awareness.

While organisations are stepping up, nearly half of those surveyed are yet to start implementation of the DPDP Act. Only 42% of organisations say they understand/appreciate that compliance with the act is an opportunity to build and enhance consumer trust.

Only, the BFSI and pharma sectors are leading the way (>60%) in acknowledging the need of building trust as a competitive advantage.

“This is the need of the hour considering that 32% of consumers do not think organisations take consent-related clauses with seriousness,” the PwC report highlighted.

Over 69% of consumers feel that their data may not be safe with companies. Of these, 37% of respondents are from Tier-3 cities.

In terms of consumers worry about data breaches, the survey said 44% are willing to pay higher if their data is protected while 42% of consumers are not sure if they will continue using the services of a company post a data breach. This rate is higher in Tier-1 cities at 46%.

Coming to the workforce, the survey said 20% of employees surveyed are not comfortable with sharing their personal data with employers. This resonates with the organisation survey outcome, where 64% of organisations have not planned any initiatives to reassure their own employees regarding their personal data.

The survey also throws light on the urgent need for the e-commerce, social media and technology sector to focus on educating the age group of 18-30 years on digital privacy, consent management, protection of personal information and consequences of data sharing without thought.