The Value of Personal Information: Evidence from Empirical Economic studies

EC data protection policy is promoted with reference to economic benefits. However, the value of personal information in legitimate business models is rarely discussed. Various economic studies have tried to measure individuals' valuation of different kinds of personal data. We review empirical papers from the last 10 years and find evidence that more disclosure is associated with higher valuations. We find that the current research efforts can be extended to yield insights into the pricing of personal information, taking into account the actual value such information creates in legitimate business applications.