Australians Grow More Concerned About Privacy as Trust in AI Companies Falls to 4%, OAIC Survey Finds

Key Takeaways

• Privacy Concerns Continue to Rise: Eighty-seven percent of Australians say they are more concerned about privacy today than they were five years ago, reflecting growing unease about how personal information is handled.
• Trust in AI Remains Exceptionally Low: Just 4% of respondents said AI companies are worthy of their trust, while social media companies recorded the lowest level of trust at 3%.
• Transparency Drives Digital Engagement: Sixty-eight percent of Australians said they would be more likely to use digital services requiring personal information if they knew their data would be handled fairly and responsibly.
• Fairness and Accountability Matter: Only one in ten respondents believe organizations' real-world practices are usually fair, while 35% view those practices as mostly or always unfair.
• Privacy Complaints Are Rising: The findings coincide with a 73% increase in privacy complaints received by the OAIC during the current financial year, underscoring growing public concern over privacy protections.

Deep Dive

Australians are becoming more concerned about privacy even as businesses and governments push deeper into the digital economy, according to a major survey released Thursday that found public trust in artificial intelligence companies has fallen to strikingly low levels.

The Australian Community Attitudes to Privacy Survey, conducted every three years by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, found that 87% of Australians are more concerned about privacy than they were five years ago. At the same time, just 4% of respondents said AI companies are worthy of their trust, one of the lowest figures recorded across the sectors examined.

The findings arrive as organizations increasingly rely on AI-powered tools and data-driven services, often requiring access to growing volumes of personal information. Yet the survey suggests many Australians remain unconvinced that their information is being handled fairly or responsibly.

Launching the report at the Data Privacy & Consumer Protection Summit 2026, Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said public expectations around privacy continue to rise as the digital environment becomes more complex.

"Australians' expectations about privacy continue to sharpen as the information ecosystem becomes more complex, data-intensive and difficult to navigate," Kind said.

The survey points to a public that places a high value on privacy but often feels those expectations are not reflected in practice. According to the OAIC, privacy complaints received by the regulator have increased by 73% during the current financial year to date.

"The 2026 ACAPS points to a community that places a high value on privacy, but does not consistently experience privacy protections as workable in practice," Kind said. "Our efforts are delivering positive outcomes for the community, including speedier complaint timeframes, but community concern continues to grow at an alarming rate."

While concerns about privacy are widespread, the survey found Australians are not inherently opposed to sharing personal information. Rather, respondents indicated they are willing to accept data collection when clear safeguards are in place.

Ninety-two percent said the collection of personal information can be acceptable under certain conditions. Among the most important factors were having a clear explanation of why information is being collected, the ability to provide consent or opt in, limits on collecting information beyond what is necessary, and the ability to opt out of non-essential data collection.

The survey also found a strong link between trust and participation in digital services. Around two-thirds of respondents, or 68%, said they would be more likely to use digital services requiring personal information if they knew their data would be handled fairly and responsibly.

Trust levels varied sharply between sectors. Health service providers were the most trusted organizations surveyed, with 74% of respondents expressing confidence in them, followed by Australian government agencies at 68%. Trust in insurance, telecommunications, technology, retail, and real estate organizations declined compared with previous surveys. Social media companies ranked lowest, with just 3% of respondents saying they trust them.

The findings also suggest Australians remain skeptical about whether organizations treat people fairly online. Only one in ten respondents said organizations' real-world practices are usually fair, while 35% said those practices are mostly or always unfair.

When privacy problems arise, many respondents appear equally dissatisfied with how organizations respond. Nearly three in ten, or 29%, said none of the sectors listed in the survey handle privacy complaints fairly and effectively.

Kind said the results point to growing demand for greater transparency, both in how personal information is collected and used and in how individuals can exercise their privacy rights.

"Trust is uneven across sectors, and wariness of emerging technologies is increasing, particularly in terms of fairness, accountability and the practical ability to exercise rights," she said. "Australians want greater transparency, more proportionate collection of personal information, and a fairer go when using digital services."

The report follows the OAIC's recent Privacy Awareness Week 2026 campaign, which focused on the theme, "Trust is built here. In every privacy complaint. In every resolution."

According to Kind, greater transparency will be essential to maintaining public confidence as organizations continue to expand their use of personal information and emerging technologies.

"Australians demand transparency, both in understanding their privacy rights, how their information is used, and in embracing their right to access that information," she said. "Improving transparency will strengthen the community's already active engagement with these systems and safeguard a healthy, informed and vibrant democracy."

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