KEY POINTS:
The security of personal information remains of concern to New Zealanders, although healthcare providers and the police are highly trusted with information, says a Privacy Commission survey.
Ninety per cent of respondents to the UMR Research survey said they would be concerned, and 74 per cent very concerned, if a business they did not know got hold of their personal information.
Eighty-six per cent would be concerned if information given to a business for one purpose was used for another purpose.
"These survey results give some clear messages to both business and the Government about protecting information to retain customer trust," Privacy Commissioner Marie Shroff said.
A third of people surveyed had become more concerned about issues of individual privacy and personal information in the past few years, she said.
Health service providers were considered trustworthy by 92 per cent of those surveyed, and trust in the police to handle personal information was also high at 84 per cent.
About two-thirds of people trusted the way government departments and ACC handled personal information, up from 37 per cent in 2006.
Ranked at the bottom, on 25 per cent, were businesses selling over the internet.
Privacy concerns were greatest relating to safety of children on the internet (87 per cent), and security of personal information on the internet (82 per cent).
Of least concern was video surveillance in public places (27 per cent).
The survey also found that 50 per cent did not know that everyone in New Zealand had an individual identifying national health index number.
- NZPA
