Kingdom shows confidence in Facebook, but privacy concerns remain high, top-up platform says DUBAI: Consumers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are among the world’s most avid social media users but concerns over data use and misuse of platforms remain high, according to a new study by Ding, the international mobile top-up platform. The company, which recently partnered with Snapchat, launched the second Ding Global Prepaid Index (GPI) in the UAE and Saudi Arabia to investigate social media and trust. It found that the GCC was one of the largest users of prepaid products, with 89 percent in KSA and 86 percent in the UAE claiming to operate in this economy. In the UAE, almost half (46 percent) of respondents cited data collection as a major concern, while 45 percent were worried about financial data theft. In KSA, the numbers were similar at 39 percent and 47 percent, respectively. The numbers are indicative of growing concerns over data protection and privacy despite the high social media penetration and phone use seen in both markets. UAE respondents expressed the least trust in social media of the countries surveyed, with 25 percent saying that they “do not trust” the social media platforms they use. “Our Ding GPI research showed that many of our respondents had experienced some misuse on the social media platforms they are engaging with. However, trust and usage still remain high across all the countries we surveyed,” Ding CEO Mark Roden told Arab News. https://www.arabnews.com/sites/default/files/2021/11/11/2909496-79355218... Respondents in the UAE witness or experience more misuse on TikTok (25 percent) than most other markets, and on LinkedIn, the level is double the average seen in other markets (12 percent). In Saudi Arabia, 22 percent of respondents also showed a lack of trust in the social media platforms they use. Respondents in the Kingdom cited more misuse on Twitter (26 percent) and Snapchat (20 percent) than any other market. However, they also felt that there was less misuse on Facebook (30 percent) than most other markets — 12 percent lower than the average. The relative Saudi confidence in Facebook is reflected in the number of users of Facebook-owned apps, such as WhatsApp (63 percent) and Instagram (54 percent), compared to the lower numbers found in the UAE, where the figures were 58 percent and 47 percent, respectively. In fact, the UAE reported some of the lowest numbers of Instagram (47 percent) and Facebook/Messenger (43 percent) users compared to other markets. “Some misuse seems to be a reality, which consumers have resigned themselves to, but it presents an opportunity for technology companies, along with policymakers and the wider community, to work together to make sure that people are treated with respect on social media platforms,” Roden added. Despite misuse and some lack of trust, Roden said: “We have always been an ardent believer that greater connectivity is a net positive in our world — it’s a tool of economic advancement and a way for loved ones to stay in touch when they are far away from one another.” He added that beyond technology companies, “everyone has a responsibility” to be good digital citizens. “There is a need for greater compassion by us all in how we engage with others and share information online,” Roden said.