Users in India are happy to share their personal data on social media platforms

People in India are a happier lot when it comes to connecting via **social media** platforms and 39 percent of them trust the information they see on social media channels as compared to 32 percent globally, new research said on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_3872563” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image.[/caption] Only 29 percent of Indian consumers have concerns about a number of personal data brands have on them, compared to 40 percent globally and rising to as high as 56 percent in Australia, according to the global insights company Kantar TNS. Just 27 percent objected to connected devices monitoring their online activities, compared to 43 percent globally. “The desire to connect via social media has been the driving force behind a substantial part of the digital revolution in India, and as a result, engagement and trust on social platforms continues to be high,” said Anusheel Shrivastava, Executive Vice President, Kantar TNS India. Kantar TNS surveyed 70,000 people across 56 countries and conducted 104 in-depth interviews as part of the “2017 Connected Life” study. The findings showed that for the most part, consumers in India have not yet realised the trade-offs intrinsic to a connected lifestyle that have caused other countries to become more cynical about the way companies are using the personal information. Despite this open attitude, Indians are not as trusting of global brands as other countries in the APAC region, with 38 percent trusting big global brands in comparison to 54 percent in both Vietnam and Myanmar, and 47 percent in Indonesia. The mobile-first environment has resulted in connected consumers trying newer forms of interaction with brands as 36 percent of consumers in India were happy to interact with chatbots online. The study also revealed that a third (33 percent) of Indians said that they are willing to pay for products using their mobile phone. “Brands in emerging countries see higher levels of consumer trust today than those in developed ones but they shouldn’t take it for granted. To build and protect trust, brands need to put the customer first,” noted Michael Nicholas, Global Lead of Connected Solutions, Kantar TNS.