If online security is something you worry about, you should know you’re not the only one. In fact, a recent survey showed that some go as far as not using the online as much because of the concerns they have about their privacy.
According to the results of a survey conducted by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, almost one in 5 respondents was the victim of some a negative online experience related to security.
Their conclusions were based on data from 41,000 households, which shows just how high the level of data breaches and identity thefts has reached. The NTIA survey found that many Americans are seriously concerned about privacy and security on the Internet.
The respondents were asked about whether they “refrained from participating in certain online activities due to privacy or security concerns during the year prior to the survey,” and 45 percent of them said they did.
Similarly, 30 percent said the refrained from at least two of the following activities: “conducting financial transactions, buying goods or services, posting on social networks, or expressing opinions on controversial or political issues via the Internet.”
As you might expect, the level of online distrust was even more emphasized in households that had experienced an online security breach. Identity theft was the greatest online concern, mentioned by 63 percent of all households.
The difference between people who were the victim of identity theft and those unaffected by this particular data breach was of 8 percent – at 70 and 62 percent, respectively.
Following closely was credit card and banking fraud, which was an active concern for 45 percent of the sample; next was data collection by online services (23 percent), loss of control over personal data (22 percent), and the government collecting user data (18 percent).
To understand better how Internet practices are influenced by bad experiences with online security and privacy, the NTIA wants to launch additional studies on the issue.
The organization is also interested in supporting policies that aim to help users feel more comfortable when they surf the Internet or make transactions. So far, they have shown interest in increasing the use of encryption, as well as building a baseline set of online privacy protections.
Image Source: Private Investigator
Michael Turner
