FROM THE INDUSTRY
What can we do to protect ourselves? You can have eSIMs, so you don’t have to wait for something to arrive by mail – you can restore your service yourself. There’s IMEI-based blocking, like a kill switch that should be default on devices. You can activate device locks on both Apple and Android. We all need to take ownership. If I leave my windows open and get burgled, is it my fault? Probably. If I leave my phone without proper encryption, same thing. However, technology needs to fight technology too. We can’t just leave it to consumers to educate themselves, especially those who are challenged by technology or have special needs. You conduct consumer trust surveys. What are they showing? For the last 11 years, we’ve published consumer trust surveys across 19 countries. It’s a glass half-full, half-empty situation. People are very happy with the freedom and innovation mobile phones give them. But 50% don’t fully trust them. They won’t download new applications because they don’t trust them. They won’t share information because they don’t think it’ll be secure. However, trust has actually increased in the last year, particularly in emerging markets. The value mobile phones bring to people’s lives in emerging markets is so significant that they’re happy to accept some security risks. They’re mobile-first generations who didn’t have fixed broadband before. I remember being very free with my data 20 years ago. Exactly! If you’re younger or in emerging markets, you’re probably going to share that data without thinking too much. But those of us who’ve been burned before?
We’re much more careful now. That’s why the demographic and geographic mix matters in these surveys. Any final thoughts on where the industry is heading? We need to understand that parts of this industry are moving to a mature utility phase. You won’t see people queuing on the street for a 6G phone the way they might have for earlier generations. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t excitement or new challenges. We might take our networks for granted, but we can’t take for granted the level of security we need. All of our lives have been digitised and channelled through these networks. Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue anymore – it’s fundamental to everything we do. The challenge for the industry is collaboration. We need telecoms, regulators, enforcement agencies, and enterprises all working together on best practices. That’s what we’re trying to facilitate at MEF. Dario Betti is CEO of the Mobile Ecosystem Forum (MEF), a global trade body for the mobile ecosystem. For more information on MEF’s consumer trust research and upcoming anti-fraud conference, visit
www.mobileecosystemforum.com
Volume 47 No.4 DECEMBER 2025
59
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