Quick Study: U.S. ‘Alpha Females’ Choose Smartphones Over Sex; Online Privacy Policy Confusion Could Curb Social Usage

â–¶ A Case for Mobile PR Outreach: America’s “Alpha females” can’t live without their smartphones. When asked what they couldn’t give up for 30 days, this essential lifeline—her smartphone (41%)—trumps morning coffee (14%), makeup (7%) and yes, sex (4%). So says an April 2012 What Women Want Survey by Ginger Consulting, which also finds that Alphas (America’s most influential, ahead-of-the-curve women—those who are six months to two years in front of market trends) are spending more after years of tightening the purse strings. Study highlights include:

• Alpha women also chose sweating (exercise 26%) over sweets (2%) and social networking (1%).

• Fifty-three percent of Alpha women surveyed said they’re planning for a vacation or new furniture splurge, and more than 25% report their personal economic state has taken a turn for the better over the past year.

• Alphas say they’re adding everyday luxuries back into their lives. New apparel for the season tops the list of additions (38%), followed by stress-busting spa services like massage (22%), eating out more (15%) and gym memberships (10%).

• Some luxuries cut during the recession won’t be added back in by Alphas, including upgrades to basic cable, coffee-shop coffee, salon hair color and nail salons.

Source: Ginger Consulting

â–¶ Privacy Policies Confound Consumers: An April 2012 by Siegel+Gale finds confusion and frustration among consumers regarding Facebook and Google privacy policies. The study of more than 400 respondents found that users have little understanding of how Facebook and Google track and store user information and activity, and how information is shared and with whom.

On a scale of 0 to 100 (with a score of 80 indicating good comprehension), respondents who reviewed Facebook’s and Google’s privacy policies scored 39 and 36, respectively—demonstrating low comprehension. This could have an impact on digital campaigns, as 36% of Facebook respondents and 37% of Google respondents said they would change their online behavior by using these sites less, adjusting their privacy settings and clearing their search histories. Other findings:

• Google and Facebook privacy policies are more confusing to users than credit card agreements and government notices. In similar studies, on average, 70% of respondents correctly answered comprehension questions for government notices and 68% of respondents provided the right answers for credit card agreements, far more than the percent of readers who correctly answered questions about Facebook’s and Google’s privacy policies.

• 47% of respondents feel less comfortable with how Google collects and stores information about activity. Only 33% of Facebook users feel comfortable.

• Only 15% of users correctly understand what happens to their accounts after they’re deleted on Facebook.

• Just 20% of respondents could correctly identify how to block outside applications and Web sites from accessing their information on Facebook.

• Only 38% understand that Google connects search activity to a user’s IP address whether or not they sign into a Google account. PRN

Source: Siegel+Gale