Barely a day goes by without some information coming out in the news about privacy being put at risk on the internet. Facebook has been particularly in the spotlight due to its own controversial privacy settings. Now it looks like all this is rubbing off on the public, as a recent report from Ofcom suggests that more people are becoming wary about entering their personal details online.
The study, in which 1,824 people aged 16 and over were asked about their internet habits, showed that more people are clued up on security issues than they were in 2007.
One of the most telling signs was the country’s attitude to social networking sites. Across the UK, only 20% of adults with social networks let people other than their friends and family have access to their accounts. Back in 2007 it was 52%.
According to Ofcom, Northern Ireland is the most cautious place in the country when it comes to internet use. People here are less likely to enter their details online, whether these are their home addresses or their card details. Indeed, nearly 75% of people in Northern Ireland believe that making purchases online puts their privacy at risk, compared to 59% across the UK.
In contrast, adults in Scotland were the least likely to be concerned about entering personal details online. 50% of people here responded that they didn’t mind entering their home addresses online, compared with just 23% in Northern Ireland.
Again, whereas 44% of people in Scotland don’t mind entering their credit card details, only 19% in Northern Ireland answered the same.
The survey also showed that internet use is most heavy in Scotland, with people here spending 10.6 hours a week online. This compares to 8.3 hours in England, 6.8 in Wales and 6.5 in Northern Ireland.
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