Tag Archives: MEF

AVG

We Want to Embrace the IoT But Can We Trust It?

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We are in the midst of a rapid technology evolution. We’re only four months into 2016 and already we’ve seen two major industry shows dominated by the Internet of Things (IoT).

In January, at CES, the connected home stole the spotlight – highlights included a Family Hub fridge, a Wi-Fi water leak detector and an AR-equipped robot vacuum.

The trend continued at MWC where a smart air conditioner, 4G-enabled security camera, and smart shoes were on display. If these two major events are any indication, the horizon shows a hyper-connected future.  But what are the trust issues at hand?

AVG collaborated with the organization, MEF, on its global survey to take a look at consumers’ concerns around the future of IoT. According to the MEF survey findings, people are enthusiastic about a connected future – when asked about their concerns around IoT, only 1 in 10 said there would be no tangible benefits.  Yet, as the network of IoT devices grows, so too do consumers’ concerns about what this increased connectivity and data sharing means for security.

As a security company, it is our responsibility to recognize and unpack such concerns so we can use that insight to address fears and vanquish threats down the road.

The MEF study, which surveyed over 5,000 mobile users in eight markets, examined consumer perceptions about the future of a connected world. The findings are significant, and indicate tremendous worry about a world of inter-connectivity:

  • 60% said they worry about a world of connected things.
  • Privacy (62%) and security (54%) are seen as the biggest threats worldwide.
  • One third of respondents in all 8 countries don’t want to share personal information but know they must if they want to use an app (up to 41% from 33% in 2015).
  • Home security raises the most concern among connected devices and applications.

MEF’s research shows a consistent decline in consumer trust, which continues to dip as the war on privacy wages on, leaving consumers to decide what data tradeoffs are worthwhile.

If we, as an industry, don’t address these trust issues, consumers may disengage since they will no longer be willing to sacrifice their privacy for greater connectivity. Considering that 62% of consumers already name privacy as their top concern when it comes to the IoT, that tipping point is likely to arrive sooner than we expect.

In order to respond to consumer concerns and stop the erosion of trust, the industry has to act. And when we do, it is vital that we don’t let our desire to get products to this burgeoning market quickly trump the need for responsible and secure design. Security cannot become an afterthought as we innovate toward connectivity.

If we care about our consumers and about the potential and longevity of IoT, we need to make ‘security by design’ a fundamental approach, regardless of device.

AVG

Got privacy? Fewer than 10% of Americans feel in control of their data

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It’s a tricky tightrope we walk between security and privacy. The newest report by Pew Research shows that Americans value their privacy and, paradoxically, are only too aware that they don’t have it.

The report, released May 20, highlighted what Pew terms “data insecurity.”

  • Nine in ten adults say being in control of who can get information about them and controlling what information is collected about them is important.
  • Only 9% of respondents felt they had a lot of control over how much information was collected about them and how it was used; and just 6% of the Americans surveyed felt that they could depend on the government to keep their data secure.
  • In the neighborhood of seven in ten people were not confident their activities and records recorded by online advertisers, social media sites and search engines would remain private and secure.

“The majority of Americans believe it is important – often very important – that they be able to maintain privacy and confidentiality in commonplace activities of their lives. Most strikingly, these views are especially pronounced when it comes to knowing what information about them is being collected and who is doing the collecting.”

We at AVG know this well. Pews report mirrors the attitudes that have shown up in our own research and studies conducted with the Mobile Economic Forum.  In our 2014 survey with MEF, we found that 72% of mobile consumers are not happy sharing personal data such as location or contact details when using an app, and one-third (34%) say trust prevents them from buying more goods and services using their mobile device.

The good news is that it looks like people are increasingly aware of their digital footprint and taking action.  For example, according to the Pew survey, 59% cleared their cookies or browser history; 47% refused to provide personal information not relevant to a transaction; 25% used a temporary username or email address; and 24% gave inaccurate or misleading information about themselves.

If you’re like those in the majority of the Pew survey and increasingly worry about your privacy, I urge you to take action.

At the very least, you can take advantage of our free AVG PrivacyFix app to help you manage your online profile across multiple social media platforms, and on all your devices, from one simple interface.  This includes adjusting privacy settings, stopping ad targeting, and blocking tracking.

In the meantime, the tide may be turning for privacy. A lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union led to a U.S. federal appeals court ruling in May that found that the NSA’s bulk phone call metadata-gathering program is illegal. (If you’re an insomniac you can read the 97-page ruling here.)

Obviously, we all want a strong national security program, and if rooting out terrorist cells is to have any success, a communications intelligence network is paramount. But there is another equally important imperative represented by the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects all Americans against unreasonable searches by the government. It’s a fine balance between the two mandates and goes directly to the Constitution.

The court ruling is a serious matter, and there may be broader implications. Surely, the natural question is then do these consumer rights apply to all digital footprints, including cyberspace?

Stay tuned.

AVG

Is our data ready for the wearable health revolution?

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This week MEF issued a report on the use of wearable devices in the health sector, both relating to personal consumption and also when recommended or used by health professionals.

According to the report, “the global health and fitness app market is currently worth $4 billion, and is predicted to be worth $26 billion by 2017”. This means that we’re going to hear a lot more about health wearables in the future.

The biggest selling point for wearables is their convenience. They can passively track our activity, pulse and other vital data points that allow us to make health and lifestyle decisions.

Imagine a future where a patient that needs frequent monitoring for diagnosis can go about their daily routine while a wearable tracks and transmits their data back to the doctor for analysis.

This remote diagnosis is potentially an incredibly simple way to provide doctors with the information they need without waiting time, travel time and consultation time.

There have been some very interesting developments in this area over the past year as well, with Google researching contact lenses that measure blood sugar to the use of wearable camera technology used in surgery so a remote surgeon can assist.

MEF’s report also showed that the adoption of wearable technology in health is lower in Western countries and some of the lowest is seen in Germany and France.

I believe that patients in these countries are more aware of data security and privacy risks having seen many data breach stories in the news over the last few years.

Trust and data security are fundamental to the success of mHealth. Wearables are blurring the lines between recreational and medical data.

By law, medical data needs to be encrypted and authenticated (HIPPA in the USA for example) but recreational data as captured by most wearable devices does not.

Moreover, manufacturers of wearable fitness trackers and other activity monitors are not operating in a regulated market and companies could be using this data in ways that we neither agree with nor understand (even though it may be in their policy documents).

If commercial companies are to hold data that we really only expect medical companies to hold then maybe the regulations should apply to them as well.

While it may be boring, I would recommend reading the privacy policy and terms of use of anything collecting what is very personal and sensitive data and making a choice on whether you want to share this data.

AVG

VIDEO: Gary Kovacs’ Keynote Address at MWC 2015

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In the keynote, Kovacs outlined AVG’s mission to create a safer Internet for everyone.

In our modern connected world, the lives of consumers are more exposed now than ever before in history. A wide range of our actions online are monitored, tracked and scrutinized, not always towards benevolent ends.

AVG recently conducted a round of research with MEF which shows that more and more people are demanding trust, and it is becoming a real factor in decision making around technology.

To end, Kovacs issued a call to arms to challenge the existing model and create what he calls a Trust Revolution.

AVG

AVG Puts People First for Mobile Security

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AMSTERDAM and SAN FRANCISCO – March, 2, 2015 – AVG® Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), the online security company™ for 197 million active users, today previewed the next version of the AVG Zen™ platform to mobile operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEM). With the consumer launch currently planned for later this year, AVG Zen delivers a new family-first approach to security, including support for industry partner apps and wearables on customers’ devices, all in one place.

With digital lives becoming more complex in an Internet of Things world, security is now about protecting people as well as their devices and personal data. The next version of AVG Zen delivers three core pillars:

  • A subscription security service for families that includes AVG AntiVirus and AVG Cleaner across their devices to give them confidence in their digital lifestyle. AVG AntiVirus for Android™ was the first mobile security product to enter the 100-500 million downloads category on the Google® Play™ store.
  • A dedicated set of family products from Location Labs by AVG including phone controls and location services. Already offered by the top four US mobile operators, extending the availability of these products through AVG Zen makes it even easier for families to communicate and share location. Phone controls gives parents peace of mind when giving their children their first mobile device, allowing them to monitor and set limits.
  • A platform for mobile operators to deliver context-aware solutions for core services. This could be, for example, notifying a user if they are running low on storage or approaching their data limit. AVG Zen is open to partners looking to expand their offerings directly to AVG’s 197 million end users.

 

With global smartphone subscribers reaching 3.5 billion by 2019, industry figures calculate suppliers of Internet of Things product and service providers will generate incremental revenue exceeding $300 billion by 2020. Research into data management and security services estimates these alone will drive revenues in excess of $1.8 billion in the same timeframe.

AVG Zen enables mobile operators to provide context-aware alerts, updates and information direct to the customer to give them control and transparency of their security across their family, data, and devices.

“People not only want their online rights to be recognized, they want more control and responsibility over their online actions and those of family members. But today, their online experience is still disconnected. In the 2015 consumer trust survey we carried out with MEF, 72 percent were not happy sharing personal data with apps, 40 percent named privacy and security as important when choosing a mobile device, and another 34 percent relied on dedicated security apps to protect them,” said Yuval Ben-Itzhak, Chief Technology Officer, AVG Technologies. “Mobile operators and online security companies hold a trusted position in consumers’ lives and we have the opportunity to transform their connected experience by bringing everything together all in one central place.”

 

 

About AVG Technologies

AVG is the online security company providing leading software and services to secure devices, data and people. Over 197 million active users, as of December 31, 2014, use AVG´s products and services. AVG’s Consumer portfolio includes internet security, performance optimization, and personal privacy and identity protection for mobile devices and desktops. The AVG Business portfolio – delivered by managed service providers, VARs and resellers – offers IT administration, control and reporting, integrated security, and mobile device management that simplify and protect businesses.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

www.avg.com

 

Contacts:

US

Katie Han

Waggener Edstrom for AVG

[email protected]

+ 1 (212) 551 4807

UK

Samantha Woodman

Waggener Edstrom for AVG

[email protected]

+ 44 (0)20 7632 3840

 

 

AVG

Trust remains a key obstacle for mobile

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2014 was the biggest year to date for security and privacy online. With high profile companies announcing security breaches and data hacks throughout the year, 2014 became a year of lost innocence for the web.

People around the globe have begun to realize that their data, once shared with the World Wide Web, takes on a life of its own.

Because of this, trust and privacy have become more important than ever to our digital lives. Trusting people with our data and keeping hold of our privacy have become real every day concerns.

Nowhere is this more relevant than in mobile. And mobile devices are increasingly the gateway for most of us in the connected world.

The importance of trust and the relevance of mobile are why this year; we have once again collaborated with MEF to create the Global Consumer Trust Report 2015.

Here are two key points that I’d like you to take away from the report:

 

Trust is a growing concern

Last year, the report highlighted the growing issue of trust as a barrier to purchase on mobile devices and this year is no different.

  • A lack of trust is again the single most influential factor preventing more downloads and purchases via mobile. 34% named it as such as compared to 30% the previous year.

It won’t come as any surprise after the multitude of hacks we saw in 2014, that awareness and concern around data privacy and trust is up around the globe.

  • China reported the highest trust concerns at 41% and the US saw the largest increase in a lack of trust, up nine points year-on-year to 35%

 

Trust really does affect people’s behavior

Trust is such a difficult concept to understand, especially when it is concerning something as abstract as the Internet. How do you know if you trust an app? Moreover, how does that trust actually influence your behavior?

This year’s report shows that trust, or lack thereof, really does have an impact (and a growing one at that) on how we engage with apps and services on our devices.

  • 49% of consumers surveyed say a lack of trust limits the amount of apps they download or use compared to 37% in the previous year
  • 72% of mobile media users are uncomfortable sharing personal data such as location or contact details with apps.

 

It’s also great to see that, in the report, 64% of those studied use software or apps to guard passwords and protect against malware.  Only one in ten (11%) take no steps to protect their device.

MEF Global Consumer Trust Report

 

We still have a long way to go to ensure that the web is a safe and trustworthy place for everyone, including the next wave of digital citizens coming on line, but we are making progress.

The issues of trust and privacy are starting to come to the fore and with them, they will bring change.

We’ll see changes in the way that users behave online, changes in the way that businesses explain how they use our data and changes in the way that governments form new modern data laws.

Nevertheless, with change comes responsibility. We must all play our own role in forging a brighter, safer and more trustworthy Internet. We must all become responsible digital citizens.

 

 

AVG

Lack of Trust Hampering App Downloads

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4th February 2015: MEF, the global community for mobile content and commerce, today announced the results of its third annual Global Consumer Trust Report.

The report, supported by AVG Technologies N.V. (NYSE: AVG), analyses data from 15,000 mobile media users in 15 countries across five continents.

The study explores the key areas of trust, privacy, transparency and security to identify their impact on mobile consumers globally from purchasing a new device to downloading apps or paying for goods and services.

Key findings:

  • Half of all consumers surveyed (49%) say a lack of trust limits the amount of apps they download, compared to 37% last year
  • 72% of mobile consumers are not happy sharing personal data such as location or contact details when using an app
  • A third (34%) say trust prevents them from buying more goods and services using their mobile device

 

The impact of trust

Trust remains the largest single obstacle to growth in the mobile content and commerce industry. 40 per cent of respondents indicated that a lack of trust is the number one factor that prevents them from downloading items more often.

This is particularly the case with apps – where almost half of respondents (49 per cent) said that trust prevented them from downloading apps or using them once they are installed. Over a third (34 per cent) said it stopped them buying any mobile apps and services. The US experienced the largest increase in a lack of trust of the markets studied, at 35 per cent (up nine per cent year-on-year).

 

App privacy expectations

Alongside this growing mistrust, the study also revealed an increase in resistance to sharing personal information such as location, address book details or health records, with apps. 72 per cent of mobile users said that they are not happy sharing such information and almost two in five (39 per cent) claimed never to do so.

Linked to this unease, is the need to improve the way apps communicate about the data they collect. Many consumers feel that app stores and device manufacturers should take greater responsibility for protecting their personal information. 30 per cent of respondents said this would foster greater trust in the mobile platforms and 63 per cent said that they considered transparency important or extremely important (compared to 49 per cent last year).

Methods of self-protection have also decreased across the board – with less people taking the time to read app store descriptions, long privacy documents or ask friends and family for advice. The most popular method for self-protection was ‘downloading a privacy protection app’, at 31 per cent.

 

The need to protect devices

While the results showed that the threat of malware is rising in consumers’ consciousness – with most people acknowledging that it is likely to affect them – caution around malware has decreased. Only 48 per cent of respondents said malware would make them think twice when downloading apps compared with 74 per cent last year.

“Andrew Bud, MEF Global Chair, said: “Trust is the most important asset of any business, and consumer confidence must underpin the mobile ecosystem.  The sustainability of the mobile industry depends on it. As mobile devices and services evolve, consumers will hold business ever more accountable.

“MEF’s 2015 Consumer Trust Report highlights how trust issues are impacting consumer behaviours in different markets.  It is absolutely clear that the mobile industry must create equitable, informed partnerships with consumers, putting trust at the centre of the relationship. Consumer trust must be earned by consistently applying high levels of transparency, security and privacy to every mobile interaction.”

 

Judith Bitterli, Chief Marketing Officer at AVG Technologies, added: “Building consumer trust is an integrated process. While the mobile industry across the board must step up and take responsibility for increasing transparency across user privacy policies, it is equally important that consumers take their own steps to educate and protect themselves in order to better protect their rights and understand their choices online. This research shows that while consumers are taking certain proactive steps towards greater protection there is still some way to go in order to ensure their privacy and security are not at risk.”

Part of MEF’s ongoing activities to champion and advance consumer trust in the mobile industry, the annual Global Consumer Trust Report is now in its third year and provides vital data, analysis and insights on how consumers consider the efforts of the mobile industry in tackling the trust issues that affect their ongoing participation in every aspect of mobile content and commerce.  

 

About MEF

MEF is the global community for mobile content and commerce and the leading international trade association for companies wishing to monetize their products and services via mobile. Headquartered in London with operational chapters and offices in Asia, EMEA, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and North America, MEF is a member network with international reach and strong local representation, ideally placed to drive market growth.

Established in 2000, MEF represents the total mobile ecosystem, providing an impartial and powerful voice for pioneering companies from across the mobile content and commerce value chain. On 17th – 19thNovember, MEF will host its 2nd annual MEF Global Forum in San Francisco where the findings of this join report will be discussed as part of a 3-day agenda looking at innovation, global growth and monetization.

www.mefmobile.org

AVG

AVG’s Joanna Brace Appointed to MEF North and Latin America Board

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MEF members elected ten new regional Board Directors during its recent MEF Global Forum in San Francisco. Among the new directors elected was AVG’s own Joanna Brace, VP Marketing & Product Marketing SMB.

Joanna leads AVG’s business global marketing, product management, product marketing, channels marketing, web marketing and partner enablement teams.

She brings understanding of the ever-changing SMB environment and the needs of todays’ mobile businesses to MEF.  “The days when work was confined to an office with four walls and a locked door are gone.  Thanks to mobile technology and popular cloud-based applications today’s start-ups are living in a world where doing business without walls is perfectly normal,” Joanna noted.

Judith Bitterli was elected to MEF’s Global Board in October. AVG has been an active MEF member in the policy working group which developed AppPrivacy, part of MEF’s Mobile Initiative, and sponsored exclusively MEF’s Global Consumer Trust Report in 2013 and 2014.

The MEF North and Latin America Board

AVG

Preparing for the Social Internet of Things

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Factor in the booming Internet of Things and researchers estimate there will be 50 billion connected devices in the market by 2020! These are big numbers with big implications for the tech industry and our customers.

When you break it down, it means every day millions of new users will get their first smartphone or tablet, or change to a new device, or add other connected digital device such as wearables, activity monitors, health apps, and even their cars…and be coming online with all the data that goes with them. These aren’t just faceless people, but our nephews, nieces, children and grandchildren.

Now, think about when you first came online. For many of us, we had the benefit of growing up with the Internet and were able to make mistakes and learn from them as we went along. The next two billion users won’t have that luxury. They are coming online in the age of the Social Internet of Things and will experience a much larger interconnected world. They will surely find great delight, but every mistake made could be broadcast to billions of people, along with increasing pitfalls and exponentially greater consequences.

Just think about the rise in teen and celebrity sexting scandals and over-disclosure, cyber-bulling, and the mounting security breaches at major banks and retailers putting millions of credit card users at risk.

The bottom line is that businesses have to earn the right to engage with the next two billion web users and that is achieved by earning their trust.

Global research we did with MEF Global Forum earlier this year also reinforces this point. We found that:

  • 40% of mobile media users cited trust as a barrier to purchasing goods and services online via their mobile
  • 65% said they were unhappy sharing personal information with apps.

At AVG with three million Facebook followers and 25,000-50,000 conversations happening daily – we also hear this echoed from our customers. Now magnify the concern consumers will have in a world where every smart connected device is sending our data to the Internet!

I explored the topic of “Building Trust for the Social Internet of Things,” at the MEF Global Forum event In San Francisco last week during a session and panel called, “Know thy Customer, Mastering the Consumer Experience.”  Our mission was to explore shifting consumer experiences and what it means to those of us in the industry and businesses.  I wanted to bring the perspective of what users want and need, and what it means from a mobile security, privacy and trust point of view.

We in the industry need to start planning now for the next two billion users. People need to know that they don’t have to give up their privacy every time they go online.   How do we make that experience all that it promises to be and develop their trust in our brands? How do we equip them for the Social Internet of Things?

Brands must adapt to address the concerns of a new and more connected audience and be willing to help build a future where it is as easy to be safe online as it is to connect a device to the net. People need to change as well. They need to prepare themselves for new technologies and an interconnected age of Digital Citizenship.

At AVG we envision a world of “smart users.” That’s why we recently started a Smart User Initiative as part of the Clinton Global Initiative.  Our goal is to increase the ratio of smart users to smartphones by teaching the next two billion Digital Citizens skills in how to engage in the digital world safely and securely in a way that protects them and others. And we’re putting out a call for partners– other brands, businesses, organizations, carriers, manufactures, and content producers – to join us on this mission.

You can read more about AVG’s Smart User Initiative in a blog by our CLO Harvey Anderson. His Op-Ed on this topic also appeared on Re/code recently.

Let’s strive to make the experience for the next two billion people coming online in the age of Social Internet of Things, more personal, trusted and the best it can possibly be…