It’s not just AI and its makers that concern Australians, however. Trust in many sectors has fallen over the last year, including insurance, telcos, retail, and the real estate sector. Trust in social media companies is the lowest, with only three per cent of respondents expressing faith in companies like Meta and X.

How personal data is collected and used is a serious issue for most, with 68 per cent of those surveyed saying they would be more likely to use a digital service if they knew their data was being “handled fairly and responsibly”.

Similarly, 92 per cent said they had no issue with data collection under certain circumstances, such as when there is a clear purpose for the collection (69 per cent), where opting into collection is available (68 per cent), or where data collection is limited to what is strictly necessary (66 per cent).

The handling of privacy complaints is also a sore point. Almost a third of respondents felt that organisations were handling complaints fairly, and only one in ten believed they were likely to “get a fair go online”.

“Australians’ expectations about privacy continue to sharpen as the information ecosystem becomes more complex, data-intensive and difficult to navigate,” Australian Privacy Commissioner Carly Kind said at the launch of the report at the Data Privacy & Consumer Protection Summit 2026.

“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. The survey’s findings mirror the rise in privacy complaints received by the OAIC – which have increased by 73 per cent this financial year to date.

“Our efforts are delivering positive outcomes for the community, including speedier complaint timeframes, but community concern continues to grow at an alarming rate.”

You can read the full report here.