New Kaspersky research has found that consumers around the world want to take more action to protect and maintain control over their personal privacy
As revealed in the company’s latest report, Defending digital privacy: taking personal protection to the next level, consumers are becoming more aware of where their personal data is available online.
In fact, 84 per cent said they have tried to remove private information from websites or social media channels. However, a third (33 per cent) have no idea how to go about it.
These findings reveal how fundamental protecting the privacy of our personal data and interactions online is to make sure we all continue to benefit from technology.
The report, which includes findings from a new consumer survey carried out in 23 countries, examines current consumer attitudes towards online privacy and what steps people are taking to keep private information from falling into the wrong hands.
Consumers have shown that it is not just their private information that they are worried about, but their loved ones’ too. For instance, the report reveals that 31 per cent of consumers claim that their personal data or information about their family has become publicly available without their consent.
Such occurrences are pushing consumers into making conscious choices about how and where their personal data is stored, to stop it being viewed or used by others who do not have permission to do so.
A significant proportion of people apply additional measures when browsing the internet, to hide their information from cybercriminals (43 per cent), the websites they visit (40 per cent), and other individuals accessing the same device (44 per cent). Additionally, some consumers remain wary about storing personal information on their devices. For instance, more than a fifth (27 per cent) also say they are concerned about personal data collected by the apps they use on their mobile devices.
