Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

More Than Half of U.S. Households Dealt With a Data Privacy Problem, Study Says

A study from Parks Associates, a leading authority in consumer and market research, shows a concerning trend in security threats stemming from smart device use.

The “Privacy and Data Protection for Connected Devices” report shows that 54% of U.S. households connected to the internet experience data privacy and security issues over 12 months. That’s a 50% jump from 2018 when 36% of homes reported problems.

“As we witness this surge in data privacy and security concerns, it becomes paramount for smart home industry players and service providers to prioritize consumer data apprehensions and redouble their efforts in securing their products,” said Jennifer Kent, vice president of research at Parks Associates. “After interoperability, the top reasons consumers gravitate to certain providers of smart home products are user experience and trust – trust that the company will properly handle personal data, and trust that the company will be present for the long haul.”

Over the past seven years, U.S. households have doubled the number of connected devices used in their homes. The report shows that 62% of smart home device users are wary of hackers gaining unauthorized access and control.

“While the growth in 2023 appears to be slightly slower than in previous years, this could be attributed to consumers exercising caution in the wake of historic inflation, layoffs, and looming recession fears,” said Kent. “We anticipate that device ownership will resume its upward trajectory in more favorable economic conditions.”

From the article, "More Than Half of U.S. Households Dealt With a Data Privacy Problem, Study Says" by Kayla Wassell

Previously In The News

Epix Enters the Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Fray

Though Epix is trying to take advantage of this trend as a portion of consumers self-bundle with video, the challenge will be to ensure that Epix is part of that bundle. A recent study from Parks Asso...

Disney+ Could Blow Away Subscriber Forecasts

Brett Sappington, senior director of research at Parks Associates, agrees that Disney+ has the best shot at being wildly successful, and that securing fewer than 23 million Disney+ subs globally by 20...

‘Game of Thrones’ series finale is approaching. How will HBO survive after it?

Brett Sappington, senior director at the research firm Parks Associates in Addison, Texas, said another positive sign is how HBO Now subscriptions continued to grow in 2017 — after “Game of Thrones” f...

New Route to New Revenue: Detect & Respond to Credentials Sharing

Credentials sharing is not a new problem for service providers. As the OTT and pay-TV landscapes continue to evolve to accommodate entertainment on multiple devices, credentials sharing has followed s...