Smart Meters & Privacy Consumer Research In-house Lawyer, - - PDF document

Smart Meters & Privacy Consumer Research

Georgina Nelson In-house Lawyer, Which?

Background & Methodology

Using an online access panel, we surveyed

2,003 UK adults aged 16+

Fieldwork for this wave took place between

20th April and 3rd May

The results were weighed to reflect the UK The results were weighed to reflect the UK

adult population

And a little caveat please……

“Y t k th t t “You may or may not know that smart energy meters are to be installed in every UK home by 2020. These smart meters will measure household energy usage allowing you measure household energy usage allowing you to see exactly how much energy you are using. It will also send your usage information directly to suppliers, without the need for meter d t i it t ” readers to visit your property.” “Thinking about your energy usage information which will be sent directly to your energy supplier, to y y gy pp , what extent are you in favour of or

• pposed to your energy company

accessing information about each of th f ll i g th gh d t ” the following through your data”

12 12 6 3 4 3 3 4 90% 100% 15 14 14 8 29 15 12 12 70% 80% 90% 37 37 19 60% 70%

Don't know S t rongly oppose

27 27 42 42 40% 50%

S

• mewhat
• ppose

No views eit her way S

• mewhat in

13 15 19 22 27 20% 30%

f avour S t rongly in f avour

9 9 10 12 19 0% 10% Time of day you and Number of people that Model and age of your Type of Real-time information

27/ 05/ 2011

5 your household members are at home live in your household appliances/ technology products you are using appliances/ technology products you are using and at w hat times of the day about your energy consumption

“Assuming all this information is possible to access from your energy usage data, what level of control would you prefer to have over your would you prefer to have over your energy supplier sharing your data with each of the following types of

• rganisations?”

g Energy Efficiency Companies Appliance Manufacturers Law Enforcement Insurance companies Local & National Government

7 7 7 6 6 90% 100% 80% 52 50 50 62 61 60% 70% Don't know M i f ti h ld 40% 50% My information should never be passed on I w ould prefer to agree upfront 28 26 26 22 22 30% Don't mind info being passed on without prior consent 14 16 17 11 10 22 22 10% 20% 10 0% Energy efficiency companies Law enforcement Local and national government Insurance companies Appliance manufacturers

“ Thinking about the safety of your personal information in

P l d t b i d t k ith t

%

Thinking about the safety of your personal information in general, which, if any, are you most concerned about? ”

42 31 25

Person al data bein g passed to u n kn

• w

n

• cos. w

ith

• u

t perm ission H ackin g / crim in al attacks on y

• u

r com pu ter Data leaks fromgov t depts

25 21 15

Data leaks from gov t depts Data leaks from priv ate cos Social n etw

• rkin

g w ebsites

8 7

g Cookies DN A Database

6 6

Location based serv ices G

• ogle Street View

5 22

CCT V N

• n

e of th ese

• Q1. Base: All respondents (1,042)

5

Don 't Kn

• w

“ Frequent data readings from smart meters, and particularly the accompanying in-home display unit allow consumers to better manage and/ or g reduce their energy use. For suppliers it means that they can tailor energy efficiency advice and tariffs to the individual consumer.” “ Thinking about the frequency with which suppliers might access your data, which of the suppliers might access your data, which of the following intervals of time would be your preferred option? ”

Social Research Energy Omnibus Survey May 2011

S even in ten members of the public would prefer li h i d kl l f

%

suppliers to access their data weekly or less often

42 11

Monthly Less often than monthly

%

8 18

Daily Weekly

NETS:

2 2

Every hour Twice a day

Up to every hour: 3% Daily/Twice daily: 11% Up to daily: 14% Weekly or less often: 71%

Every minute Every 15 minutes Every 30 minutes

Weekly or less often: 71%

<1 <1

8 7 1

Don't know Don't mind Every minute

8

10

• Q32. Base: All respondents (2003)

Social Research Energy Omnibus Survey May 2011

For Listening.

georgina.nelson@ which.co.uk georgina.nelson@ which.co.uk