Belgians keen on digital tools but also on protection of their privacy
61% of Belgians would like to be able to do everything online
During lockdown, a great many Belgians have embraced the various solutions available in the digital sphere. 61% would like to be able to do everything online, while 39% would prefer to carry out certain actions solely in the physical plane (e.g. medical consultations, taking out a loan or buying a house).
Unsurprisingly, it’s to their smartphones that Belgians first and foremost turn when they want to go online. On average, the amount of time they spend on personal activities on the Web is about 4 hours a day, clearly less than the 6 hours per day spent on work-related operations.
56% of people in favour of administrative procedures online
56% of those questioned would support the online migration of administrative procedures by their city, commune or government (obtaining of documents via the Internet) and even participation in referendums. What’s more, a clear majority (70%) would appreciate the opportunity to do their electoral duty online.
Nearly 6 out of 10 Belgians are reluctant to share personal information online
They don’t mind sharing their first name, gender, nationality or interests, but they object to being asked for more private data such as their surname, address or income. So who do we trust enough to share our personal data with? Top of the list are medical services and banks (76% trust them quite a lot or completely), followed by government bodies (66%). Their enthusiasm varies greatly according to the sector concerned: the more commercial an organisation, the more Belgians are worried about their privacy not being respected. Just 38% of interviewees said they trusted large e-commerce firms quite a lot or completely.
Belgians and the itsme® app
More and more Belgians are relying on itsme® to ensure that their privacy is protected, whether to access their accounts or their online files. 58% of them would like to use it to log on to their online bank, 55% to government platforms, 54% to health services, 48% to utility companies and 45% to insurance firms.The survey clearly shows that unless there’s a real need for human contact, Belgians are ready, not to say impatient, for expansion of the range of operations possible online. But that’s subject to one vital condition: being sure that their privacy is protected.
Discover the full survey here.