The Impact of Privacy Exposure on Consumer Choices in Digital Marketing: An Analysis Through Consumer Interviews

Abstract

With the popularity of the Internet, the rise of digital marketing has opened up new opportunities for interaction between brands and consumers. However, consumers’ privacy concerns are becoming increasingly prominent, affecting their consumption decisions. This study explores the potential impact of privacy exposure on consumer choice through interviews with teenagers and middle-aged workers. The study found that privacy breaches significantly reduced consumers’ trust in brands, leading them to become more cautious in their shopping decisions. For example, a 17-year-old female high school student developed distrust in the brand in question due to inappropriate use of her personal information, which in turn altered her consumption behavior, while a 31-year-old male teacher showed tolerance towards advertisements but displayed strong privacy concerns when faced with scam phone calls. The findings suggest that companies should increase the transparency of data collection and use, adopt privacy protection technologies, and strictly comply with relevant laws and regulations to enhance both marketing effectiveness and consumers’ awareness of privacy protection. Consumers should also be more aware of privacy protection and be cautious in providing personal information to reduce the risk of information leakage.