{"id":94177,"date":"2015-03-16T09:42:57","date_gmt":"2015-03-16T14:42:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/2015\/03\/16\/americans-privacy-strategies-post-snowden\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T04:18:31","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T09:18:31","slug":"americans-privacy-strategies-post-snowden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/internet\/2015\/03\/16\/americans-privacy-strategies-post-snowden\/","title":{"rendered":"Americans\u2019 Privacy Strategies Post-Snowden"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been nearly two years since the first disclosures of government surveillance programs by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and Americans are still coming to terms with how they feel about the programs and how to live in light of them. The documents leaked by Snowden revealed an array of activities in dozens of intelligence programs that collected data from large American<\/a> technology companies<\/a>, as well as the bulk collection of phone \u201cmetadata\u201d<\/a> from telecommunications companies that officials say are important to protecting national security. The metadata includes information about who phone users call, when they call, and for how long. The documents further detail the collection of Web traffic around the globe<\/a>, and efforts to break the security of mobile phones<\/a> and Web infrastructure<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

A new survey by the Pew Research Center asked American adults what they think of the programs, the way they are run and monitored, and whether they have altered their communication habits and online activities since learning about the details of the surveillance. The notable findings in this survey fall into two broad categories: 1) the ways people have personally responded in light of their awareness of the government surveillance programs and 2) their views about the way the programs are run and the people who should be targeted by government surveillance.<\/p>\n\n

Some people have changed their behaviors in response to surveillance<\/h4>\n\n

Overall, nearly nine-in-ten respondents say they have heard at least a bit about the government surveillance programs to monitor phone use and internet use. Some 31% say they have heard a lot about the government surveillance programs and another 56% say they had heard a little. Just 6% suggested that they have heard \u201cnothing at all\u201d about the programs. The 87% of those who had heard at least something about the programs were asked follow-up questions about their own behaviors and privacy strategies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n

Those most likely to have taken these steps include adults who have heard \u201ca lot\u201d about the surveillance programs and those who say they have become less confident in recent months that the programs are in the public interest. Younger adults under the age of 50 are more likely than those ages 50 and older to have changed at least one of these behaviors (40% vs. 27%). There are no notable differences by political partisanship when it comes to these behavior changes.<\/p>\n\n

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\"Surveillance<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n

Those who are more likely to have changed at least one of their behaviors include the people who have heard a lot about government surveillance (38% say they have changed a great deal\/somewhat in at least one of these activities), those who are at least somewhat concerned about the programs (41% have changed at least one activity), and those who are concerned about government monitoring of their use of social media, search engines, cell phones, apps, and email.<\/p>\n\n

There are no partisan differences when it comes to those who have changed their use of various technologies.<\/p>\n\n

Additionally, a notable share of Americans have taken specific technical steps to assert some control over their privacy and security, though most of them have done just simple things. For instance, 25% of those who are aware of the surveillance programs are using more complex passwords.<\/p>\n\n

Many have not considered or are not aware of some of the more commonly available tools that could make their communications and activities more private<\/h4>\n\n

One potential reason some have not changed their behaviors is that 54% believe it would be \u201csomewhat\u201d or \u201cvery\u201d difficult to find tools and strategies that would help them be more private online and in using their cell phones. Still, notable numbers of citizens say they have not adopted or even considered some of the more commonly available tools that can be used to make online communications and activities more private:<\/p>\n\n