A new Harris Interactive study shows that despite placing personal information security at the top of their list, U.S. adults are still placing their information at risk. On top of that, of those surveyed by Harris, eighty-seven percent feel that personal information is slightly secure or not secure at all.
Although personal information security ranks high in priority for most consumers, many are still unaware of how to protect it. (IMG:J.Anderson)
The Harris survey showed a clear response in adults, personal information should be protected. This is a priority for over eighty percent of respondents. The problem, according to Harris, fifty-one percent of the adults who make it a priority are unaware of the risks many innocent activities place them in. For example, entering a sweepstakes or filling out a warranty card could lead to the loss of personal information, including a person’s name, contact details, income and credit history.
Other risky behaviors according to the survey included donations to political campaigns, requesting information about products, or offering up personal information to a website without understanding their privacy policy. The policy will often spell out that your information is sold or “shared” with “partners” to offer you similar information or services.
About one in four adults are not aware that providing their personal information to a web site without reviewing its privacy policy can lead to their information being used or shared without their permission, Harris said.
Finally, eighty-seven percent of adults believe their personal information, such as name, address, email, age, income, credit rating and purchasing preferences, are only somewhat, slightly, or not at all secure.
The cause for the doubt could be all the news and information that has blanketed the media over the last year. When people see millions of records lost or exposed in news headlines the trust level gets lower.
The Harris Interactive survey was conducted on behalf of ProQuo, a web-based company that helps consumers guard their information by offering choices over how they use it.
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