Online privacy has become a major concern in recent years as the news has featured several major data leaks and revelations about the true nature of online surveillance. As more and more aspects of our lives become intertwined with internet use, it is important that we feel comfortable using our information online and that we are aware of the potential risks. Recent research has given us some interesting insights into the way people feel about the situation.
A new study by online privacy specialists VestVPN.com has revealed that more than half of people in Britain do not trust Facebook to use their information responsibly, with 61% of people expressing distrust of the social media giant. This is despite the fact that Facebook has 31 million regular users in the UK, meaning that over 60% of us have an account.
Google fares better, with 69% of the people surveyed saying that they have trust in the search engine to be responsible with their information. Microsoft was deemed more trustworthy than Apple, with a trust rate 9% higher than their te
chnological rival.
The new information shows that most of us value our online privacy; 63% of people are against the idea of the government being able to keep track of their online activity, and 73% of us are concerned about our computers or mobile devices being hacked.
The study also showed that 83% of Britons have never actually read the privacy policies of the online entities they deal with, including iTunes, Google and Facebook, leading to a widespread lack of understanding about the ways they use our information. By taking the time to read and understand these policies, we can arm ourselves with a greater level of understanding and potentially protect ourselves from situations where our information is being used in ways we are uncomfortable with.