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The value of personal data has increased by 1,800% over the last two decades


In 2001 users generated around £1.45 worth of ad revenue, and now 20 years later, this has increased to £26 per user – a staggering 1,800% increase. Men’s data is seen to be worth more money than women’s at 18 million vs 17 million and if you’re between the ages of 18-24, companies are willing to pay 60% more for your data! 

In 2018, 47% of people in the UK said they were concerned about how companies use their data, compared to just 24% in 2020. 36% of Britons now admit that for financial compensation, they would be willing to share all their data with companies, but the truth is that in exchange for the ‘free’ use of Google, Facebook, Maps etc, we’re the ones paying with our personal data. 

MiQ Digital, a digital intelligence company, has researched the value of your data, why companies want this data and what companies collect and share the most data.  

Personal data can fall under everything from banking, hobbies to past view history; for companies, this information is gold as they can understand how you behave online and create tailored experiences with relevant adverts.   

How much is personal data worth to companies? 

The best way to measure the value of personal data is through Google Ad- Revenue. In 2001 users generated around £1.45 worth of ad revenue, and now 20 years later, this has increased to £26 per user – a staggering 1,800% increase. 

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Demographics affects the value of data, with men’s data being worth slightly more than women; 18 million for men and 17 million for women.   

At £10 million versus £6 million, companies are willing to pay way more for data from 18–24-year-olds than 25–34-year-olds.  

If you are Middle Eastern, companies are more likely to pay more for your data at £0.45 a person than the Black and White demographic, worth £0,42 and £0,14 per person. 

Which apps collect the most data about you? 

App  How much data is shared? 
Facebook  86% 
Instagram  86% 
Klarna   64% 
Uber   57% 
eBay  50% 

The biggest offenders with sharing third party data are: 

App  % data shared to third parties 
Instagram  79% 
Facebook  57% 
LinkedIn  50% 
Uber Eats   50% 
Trainline  43% 

To view the full research and their latest report around how much your personal data is worth, click here for more information.

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