Consumers Are Naïve About Web Data Use: Survey
Consumers who go online at home are in the dark about how Web site operators use their personal data, and most are not very interested in the subject, according to a survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
Of the 1,200 adults surveyed, 64% said they have never searched for tips on how to protect their information online. Another 40% admitted they know “almost nothing” about the subject, and 26% know a little. Only 9% said they know a lot.
On the other hand, most respondents understand what cookies are, and 65% claimed they have erased unwanted cookies at least once. In addition, 43% have used filters to block unwanted e-mail, 23% have used software that seeks out spyware on a computer, and 17% have relied on software that hides their identity from Web sites. And 86% believe there should be laws to force Web site so have a standard format.
Conducted in February and March, the survey depicts a level of ignorance that “stands at the heart of the imbalance of power that currently exists when it comes to controlling personal information online,” said Joseph Turow, who wrote the report.
Among those surveyed, 57% believe that a Web site with a privacy policy will not share their personal information with anyone. And 47% said that privacy policies are easy to understand.
But 59% were unaware that Web sites collect data about them even when they haven
