With the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season just around the corner, retailers and brands are leveraging AI for product discovery and shopping. But researchers at Cloaked, the AI-powered privacy company, said, “The push for higher conversions is colliding with shoppers’ growing concerns about fraud, security and unwanted marketing.”

They raise an important question: Could the personal information retailers request to unlock deals and foster customer relationships be creating a new obstacle to consumer trust?

In a survey of more than 1,000 consumers, Cloaked found that 51 percent of American shoppers said they withhold their real phone number or email address when signing up for retail discounts, coupons or promotions. And, more startling, of those polled, 65 percent said they withhold their real contact information over concerns about data breaches and the sale or sharing of personal information as well as cross-account tracking.

Faced with mounting digital clutter and security risks, consumers are increasingly hesitant to hand over their real information. The data shows 89 percent of respondents said they refuse to share their actual phone number or email address in at least “one everyday situation.” Consequently, roughly 71 percent expressed regret over previously giving out their real phone numbers to businesses and online platforms.

Other key findings include that 91 percent of respondents said they withhold their real contact information to avoid spam and unwanted marketing messages.

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