Arlington, VA (June 4, 2025) – According to a new survey from BBB’s Give.org, when asked to imagine contributing to a charity they have not supported in the past, most participants (68.8%) report being “very concerned” (30.6%) or “somewhat concerned” (38.3%) that their information may be hacked or stolen. A similar amount, 62.0%, say they are either “very concerned” (26.8%) or “somewhat concerned” (35.2%) that the charity might share their information outside the organization.

The standards-based, charity-evaluation group released today the Give.org Special Donor Trust Report: Privacy and Security. The report, a survey of more than 2,200 adults in the United States and more than 1,100 adults in Canada, explores the importance of adequate data protection to potential donors

“Charities increasingly depend on digital tools to connect with supporters and carry out their missions, but broader societal shifts in how personal data is collected, shared, and protected, make the public more vigilant when considering a contribution,” said Bennett Weiner, President and CEO of BBB’s Give.org, “to advance donor trust and strengthen long-term relationships, charities must lead with transparency, prioritize data protection, and communicate clearly about how information is collected and used.”

Other report highlights include:

• When asked to imagine that a charity they personally support appears in the news for being hacked and having data stolen, most participants (79.8%) would stop (27.8%) or hold off (52.0%) on future giving. Across generations, most participants—ranging from 83.5% of Boomers to 77.4% of Matures—say they would hold or stop contributions to a charity they support upon learning that the charity has been hacked.
  
  
• When considering connecting with a charity on social media, most participants (73.2%) say they are either “very concerned” (38.6%) or “somewhat concerned” (34.7%) about the charity gathering their information or intruding into their profile. Younger participants are less likely to be “very concerned” about charities using their information or intruding into their profile in a social media platform, with 31.8% of Gen Zers compared to 66.7% of Matures expressing such a concern.
  
  
• When asked to imagine that a charity uses AI to find them as potential supporters, 44.3% say they would be less likely to contribute. Younger participants are less likely to be discouraged from contributing when a charity uses AI to find them, with 27.9% of Gen Zers as compared to 68.8% of Matures reporting that they would be less likely to contribute to the charity.
  
  
• Overall, participants are more likely to trust charities over businesses to keep their information private and secure, with 48.1% trusting charities more and 23.0% trusting businesses more.

For a free copy of the report, go to Give.org/DonorTrust.

Generational age ranges used in the Give.org Donor Trust Report: Generation Z (18-26), Millennial (27-43) Generation X (44-59) Boomers (60-78), Matures (79 and above).

BBB’s Give.org urges donors to give thoughtfully by taking the time to investigate charities before making a donation and to visit Give.org to verify if a charity meets the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability.

ABOUT BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE: BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org) is a standards-based charity evaluator that seeks to verify the trustworthiness of nationally soliciting charities by completing rigorous evaluations based on 20 holistic standards that address charity governance, results reporting, finances, fundraising, appeal accuracy and other issues. National charity reports are produced by BBB’s Give.org and local charity reports are produced by local Better Business Bureaus – all reports are available for free at Give.org.

ABOUT BBB: The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses and brands they can trust for over 110 years. In 2024, people turned to BBB more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 5.5 million businesses. Visit BBB.org for free access to these business reports. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States and Canada. (Please note that BBB reports on charities are now exclusively available at Give.org.)

MEDIA CONTACTS: For more information, journalists should contact Elvia Castro (703-247-9322 or ecastro@give.org)