Safer Internet Day, a joint conference of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and the industry association Bitkom, took place on February 14, 2023. The topic was: "Power structures, participation and influence - How can consumers be strengthened in the digital space?”.
The results of a representative ConPolicy survey with N=1,000 respondents were published as part of the conference. The survey was commissioned by the BMUV and dealt with the perception of possible negative effects of unequal power structures as well as the expectations of consumers regarding market power. The results show, among other things, that the majority of consumers (57 percent) consider large digital corporations to be too powerful. Another 55 percent agreed that large digital corporations should be more regulated. With regard to certain practices such as the use of artificial intelligence or the exploitation of deceptive designs and dark patterns, respondents were fundamentally skeptical. However, they also see many advantages in the use of digital services.
The study results can be accessed here.
The BMUV press release with further information on the conference can be found here.