• With 5G comes differing levels of concern in the west and the east about privacy and data security.

• Messaging on the use of 5G will need to be concise about the benefits of the technology and how data is being used

• As the world transitions to a digital economy reliant on the internet and data transmission speeds, 5G messaging will become critical.

5G – the fifth generation of mobile networks – is built for a world that is becoming increasingly dependent on the internet. The technology offers ultra-high bandwidths that transfer data across the internet at least 100 times faster than today’s standard, 4G. But the drastic increase in data transfer capabilities provided by the technology also creates new communication challenges that companies need to be mindful of. 

Chief among these challenges are security concerns, which, along with politics, have inevitably made their way into discussions about the technology. 5G will connect society through data and increase the speed of communications like never before, and any security breach therefore has the potential to deliver a much quicker and larger fallout. 

China launched its 5G network on 1 November 2019, providing 50 cities with 5G services. However, efforts to bring Chinese 5G technology to other countries have seen strong governmental scrutiny. International companies in China need to keep alert to concerns about the use of Chinese 5G technology, due to high political sensitivity over data privacy. 

This need for alertness and flexibility regarding 5G’s data applications is not just limited to international companies, however. While customers in China are generally more tolerant of having their data stored than those in the west, a number of high-profile misuses of data has led to a strong backlash from Chinese consumers. 

For example, Zao, a viral app that allows users to swap their faces with those of celebrities, came under fire for wording in its privacy policy that gives the company intellectual property rights to the faces of its users. The company was quick to respond on social media with assurances that it had heard the complaints and was working to rectify the situation.

As 5G is rolled out across the world, communications will become faster-paced than ever. Firms will need to be quick and adaptive in their messaging to stay competitive and to assuage increasing privacy concerns.