Just 37% of internet users said they were unwilling to provide any data about themselves when creating social media accounts, and just 32% would provide their real name, the new Direct Marketing Association/fast.MAP Data Tracking Study found.
Even demographic data, which marketers have been used to routinely capturing, is becoming harder to obtain.
The number of consumers willing to provide name, address and email detailsa has seen a substantial drop over the past six months, according to the study. Almost a third more people (31%) were unwilling to share this information online, compared with six months ago.
Of the 1,032 consumers polled for the study, just 27% said they would provide the information required to get access to information online.
Trust in a brand was cited by 54% of consumers as the most important factor in determining whether or not they chose to share their data.
Chris Combemale, executive director of the DMA, said: "The mechanics of data capture is changing fast. It's predominantly because social media are shifting consumer's expectations.
"Many now like to interact online in an anonymous fashion, without providing any personal information.
"Therefore, the old certainty that individual data would be available, accessible and usable is being eroded by technology that has put consumers back in control.
"Moving forward, marketers need to reverse the value exchange, so must build trust with consumers first before asking for personal data.
"Only once engagement has taken place and trust earned, will it become possible to start a real conversation and obtain data."
The biannual DMA study monitors attitudes to information security and investigates the circumstances where consumers would divulge data for marketing purposes.
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