PRWeek: Consumers are ready to keep brands in check

WE study: Consumers are ready to keep brands in check

The Brands in Motion study found a call for collective accountability for ethical use of tech.

Diana Bradley, PRWeek, September 17 2019

SEATTLE: It’s not just up to brands and the government to make sure companies are using technology ethically. Consumers say that they, too, have a role to play, according to the global Brands in Motion 2019 study from WE Communications.

This year’s study found that consumers want technology to improve their lives, but not at any cost. Nearly all respondents (97%) agreed that companies are responsible for using technology ethically, and 92% said they would stop using a product or service due to unethical use of customer data. The study also found that 96% of respondents said there is a need for collective accountability beyond companies and the government. 

"A lot of the conversation last year was that we need to have technology that is ethically sourced and responsible," said WE founder and global CEO Melissa Waggener Zorkin. "We need to feel that companies are leading with their purpose. Last year, people were saying brands and government should do this and we need it done. This year, 96% are saying, ‘We need to be part of the solution, too.’"