{"id":94176,"date":"2014-11-12T14:09:52","date_gmt":"2014-11-12T19:09:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2014\/11\/12\/privacy-perceptions\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:12:56","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:12:56","slug":"privacy-perceptions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\/2014\/11\/12\/privacy-perceptions\/","title":{"rendered":"Privacy Perceptions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-callout is-style-300-wide has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><h5 id=\"80-of-adults-believe-that-americans-should-be-concerned-about-the-governments-monitoring-of-phone-calls-and-internet-communications-and-many-say-key-communications-channels-like-phones-and-em\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">80% of adults believe that Americans should be concerned about the government\u2019s monitoring of phone calls and internet communications and many say key communications channels like phones and email are not secure<\/h5><h5 id=\"91-of-american-adults-say-that-consumers-have-lost-control-over-how-personal-information-is-collected-and-used-by-companies\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">91% of American adults say that consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies<\/h5><\/div>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">WASHINGTON (November 12, 2014)\u2013A new survey by the Pew Research Center finds that Americans\u2019 perceptions of privacy are varied and reflect a wide array of concerns connected to government surveillance and commercial use of personal data. A majority of adults in a new survey by the Pew Research Center feel their privacy is being challenged along such core dimensions as the security of their personal information and their ability to retain confidentiality.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These are among the findings of a new nationally representative survey of 607 adults that explores the public\u2019s perceptions and attitudes towards privacy in light of the ongoing public debate about government surveillance programs in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Key findings include:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>80% of adults \u201cagree\u201d or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d that Americans should be concerned about the government\u2019s monitoring of phone calls and internet communications.<a name=\"_Toc402706617\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li>43% of adults in the survey have heard \u201ca lot\u201d about \u201cthe government collecting information about telephone calls, emails and other online communications as part of efforts to monitor terrorist activity,\u201d and another 44% have heard \u201ca little.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Only 36% \u201cagree\u201d or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d with the statement: \u201cIt is a good thing for society if people believe that someone is keeping an eye on the things that they do online.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, the survey finds a universal lack of confidence among adults in the security of everyday communications channels\u2014particularly when it comes to the use of online tools:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>81% of adults feel \u201cnot very\u201d or \u201cnot at all secure\u201d using social media sites when they want to share private information with another trusted person or organization.<\/li>\n<li>68% feel insecure using chat or instant messages to share private information.<\/li>\n<li>58% feel insecure sending private info via text messages.<\/li>\n<li>57% feel insecure sending private information via email.<\/li>\n<li>46% feel \u201cnot very\u201d or \u201cnot at all secure\u201d calling on their cell phone when they want to share private information.<\/li>\n<li>31% feel \u201cnot very\u201d or \u201cnot at all secure\u201d using a landline phone when they want to share private information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of the most notable findings in the survey is that those who have heard the most about government surveillance are more privacy-sensitive across an array of questions in the survey,\u201d said Mary Madden, a senior researcher and lead author of the report. \u201cThose who are more aware of the monitoring programs feel considerably less secure using any communications channel to share private information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the commercial context, consumers overwhelmingly feel as though they have lost control over the way their personal data is gathered and used by companies, and they support greater regulation of advertisers.<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>91% of adults in the survey \u201cagree\u201d or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d that consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies.<\/li>\n<li>64% believe the government should do more to regulate what advertisers do with customers\u2019 personal information, compared with 34% who think the government should not get more involved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the same time, they are willing to make tradeoffs in certain circumstances when their sharing of information provides access to free services:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>55% \u201cagree\u201d or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d with the statement: \u201cI am willing to share some information about myself with companies in order to use online services for free.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to their own role in managing the personal information they feel is sensitive, most adults express a desire to take additional steps to protect their data online; 61% say they \u201cwould like to do more,\u201d to protect the privacy of their personal information online while 37% say they &#8220;already do enough.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFar from being apathetic about their privacy, most Americans say they want to do more to protect it,\u201d said Lee Rainie, director of Internet, Science and Technology Research at Pew Research Center and a co-author of the study. \u201cIt\u2019s also clear that different types of information elicit different levels of sensitivity among Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At one end of the spectrum, 90% of adults consider their social security number to be a \u201cvery sensitive\u201d piece of personal information. By comparison, very few consider media tastes (9%) and purchasing habits (8%) to be \u201cvery sensitive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About this Report<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This report is the first in a series of studies that examine Americans\u2019 privacy perceptions and behaviors following the revelations about U.S. government surveillance programs by government contractor Edward Snowden that began in June of 2013. In order to examine this topic in depth and over an extended period of time, the Pew Research Center commissioned a representative online panel of 607 adults. These panelists have agreed to respond to four surveys over the course of one year. The findings in this report are based on the first survey, which was conducted in English and fielded online January 11-28, 2014.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Media Contacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mary Madden, Senior Researcher \u2013 <a href=\"mailto:mmadden@pewresearch.org\">mmadden@pewresearch.org<\/a> and 202-419-4372<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lee Rainie, Director of Internet Science and Technology research \u2013 <a href=\"mailto:lrainie@pewresearch.org\">lrainie@pewresearch.org<\/a> and 202-419-4372<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>80% of adults believe that Americans should be concerned about the government\u2019s monitoring of phone calls and internet communications and many say key communications channels like phones and email are not 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