{"id":13882,"date":"2015-01-16T13:40:23","date_gmt":"2015-01-16T18:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/privacy\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T03:21:12","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T08:21:12","slug":"privacy","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2015\/01\/16\/privacy\/","title":{"rendered":"Privacy and Cybersecurity: Key findings from Pew Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

BY MARY MADDEN<\/a><\/p>\n\n

In a series of speeches delivered in advance of his State of the Union address, President Obama announced an array of new proposals<\/a> intended to increase protections for Americans\u2019 privacy and security online. These actions aim to reduce identity theft, improve access to credit scores, and strengthen consumers\u2019 rights to control the way their data and their children\u2019s data are used. Pew Research Center has been studying Americans\u2019 attitudes about their own personal information security and that of their families for years. Here are a few highlights:<\/p>\n\n

91% of American adults say that consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"Privacy,<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

Americans express a broad loss of control over the way their personal data are managed by companies. Fully 91% of adults \u201cagree\u201d or \u201cstrongly agree\u201d that \u201cconsumers have lost control<\/a> over how personal information is collected and used by companies.\u201d This includes 45% who \u201cstrongly agree\u201d and 46% who \u201cagree\u201d that consumers have lost control.<\/p>\n\n

Those with a college education are more likely than those who have not attended college to \u201cstrongly agree\u201d that consumers have lost control, 51% vs. 40%.<\/p>\n\n

The public has little confidence in the security of their everyday communications.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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

Across six different methods of communication, there is not one mode through which a majority of the American public<\/a> feels \u201cvery secure\u201d when sharing private information with another trusted person or organization.<\/p>\n\n

American adults view social media sites as the least secure channel to communicate private information to another trusted person or organization; just 2% view them as \u201cvery secure,\u201d while 14% feel \u201csomewhat secure\u201d sharing sensitive information on social media.<\/p>\n\n

By comparison, Americans express the greatest sense of security using landline phones when sharing private information with another trusted entity. However, their level of confidence is still quite low; just 16% of adults say they feel \u201cvery secure\u201d sharing private information via the landline phone, while 51% say they feel \u201csomewhat secure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Most Americans support greater regulation of how advertisers handle their personal information.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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

While the surveillance practices of government agencies have been the focus of many public discussions and debates since the revelations brought forth by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, our previous research<\/a> has suggested that Americans are also concerned about data collection by advertisers. Additionally, public concern over the amount of personal information businesses are collecting has been growing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Even as Americans express concern about government access to their data, they feel as though government could do more to regulate what advertisers do with their personal information; 64% believe the government should do more<\/a> to regulate advertisers, compared with 34% who think the government should not get more involved.<\/p>\n\n

Parents report high levels of concern about advertisers\u2019 access to data about their children\u2019s online activities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"Teens'<\/a><\/figure>\n\n

When asked about the information that advertisers can gather about their child\u2019s online behavior, parents\u2019 concern levels rival and sometimes even exceed worries about their child\u2019s interaction with people they do not know online. In a 2012 survey<\/a> 81% of parents said they were \u201cvery\u201d or \u201csomewhat\u201d concerned about how much information advertisers can learn about their child\u2019s online behavior. By comparison, the combined levels of parental concern regarding their children\u2019s interactions with people they do not know amounts to 72% of all parents.<\/p>\n\n

Parents of younger teens are more likely than those with older teens to express some level of concern about the issue of advertisers tracking their child\u2019s online behavior (87% vs. 77%).<\/p>\n\n

See\u00a0our\u00a0overview on President Obama’s 2015 State of the Union<\/a>,\u00a0and read our related fact sheets\u00a0on immigration<\/a>,\u00a0the economy<\/a>, and energy and the environment<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pew Research Center has been studying Americans\u2019 attitudes about their own personal information security and that of their families for years. 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