Approximately half of Americans believe that companies and the government are monitoring their online and offline activities regularly. Modern life in the United States is characterized by so much data collection that five in ten Americans say they can't live their daily lives without having their data gathered by businesses or the government.
A data-driven service or product is often positioned as a way to save clients time and money or improve their health and well-being. Despite this, many U.S. adults are skeptical that this widespread data collection system benefits them. Over 75% of the public believes that the risks they face from data collection by companies outweigh the benefits, and 61% believe the same about government data collection. Most Americans are concerned about how their personal data is handled by businesses (75%) and the government (69%). New York Research Center's survey of U.S. adults explores how Americans feel about privacy in the United States. Many respondents believe they have little or no control over how these entities use their personal information.
What is Digital Security?
Online identity, data, and other assets are all protected with data security, a term used collectively. There are many tools available, such as web services, antivirus software, smartphone SIM cards, biometrics, and secured personal devices. The process of protecting your online identity is described as data security.
What’s the Difference Between Digital Information Security and Cyber Security?
It's not unfamiliar to hear people talk about "cyber security." As a result, internet privacy is now considered needed, especially since illegally accessing someone's data, identity, or financial resources can be considered a "cybercrime." Cybersecurity differs from data security, however. Data, identity, and assets are secure with digital security. While cyber security covers more ground than basic network security, it also protects entire computer systems, data files, and other digital components.
A case could be made for considering data security as a subtype of cyber security. Many professionals confuse information security with cyber security, but in reality, data security protects information, and internet privacy safeguards the whole system, whether it is a computer system, a network, or information. The government, retailers, and others who collect, store, and use American citizens' personal information are also concerned about digital privacy. The public does not trust corporations with their data, and a majority do not think they are good stewards.
In fact, 80% of Americans do not feel very confident about the likelihood that companies will acknowledge their wrongdoings and apologize when they mishandle sensitive information, and 65% report feeling the same way about the likelihood of firms using their data in a way that is acceptable to them. In the same vein, data security issues today pose greater challenges than in the past. The majority of adults say they are less confident about their personal information than it was a few years ago, with 68% saying it is less secure than ten years ago. In the past, 5 percent of respondents believed their data was more secure.
Although the public is concerned with different aspects of their digital security, it is widely acknowledged that users are often negligent when it comes to reviewing internet privacy policies and terms of service they encounter on a regular basis. Even though most Americans agree that they have ever been asked for a privacy policy, only about one-in-four say they regularly (8%) or always (12%) read a business's privacy policies before signing their own. However, adults (32%) say they don't read privacy policies before agreeing to them, while 35% never do.
It is necessary to read privacy policies thoroughly to ensure they are comprehensive. Only a minority of adults have read their privacy policies prior to accepting their terms and conditions, but only a small percentage – 15% – have read them thoroughly before accepting them. The general public also lacks an understanding of data privacy laws. In the United States, 60% of Americans are unaware that some laws and regulations provide internet privacy protection.
The results suggest that the public today is increasingly wary about privacy but that a data-driven environment has some value under certain circumstances. For instance, a majority of adults believe it is appropriate for schools with poor performance to share student information for the purposes of seeking to help improve educational outcomes or for the government to collect data on American citizens to determine whether they are terrorist threats.
Key Takeaways about Digital Security
Over 70% of Americans feel that advertisers, technology firms, or other companies are tracking nearly all the things they do online or while using their cellphones. A further 20% suspect that their online or cell phone activity is being tracked in some way. Nearly half of adults (40%) believe the government tracks at least some of their online activities. 71% of surveyed believe companies track at least some of their offline behavior, such as where they are or who they talk to. A total of 56% of Americans believe their activities are tracked by the government, such as who they speak with or where they go. Nearly half of Americans believe they are not in control of when and how their online searches are accessed.
American citizens view digital security and profiling as risky versus rewarding. Among Americans, 81% are concerned about the potential risks of companies collecting their data, and 63% are concerned about the government collecting their information about them. Seventy-five percent of adults report they personally gain no benefit or very little benefit from company data gathering about them, and 73 percent report this about government data collection.
The purpose of gathering data by companies is to build profiles of their customers and possibly target marketing campaigns based on their traits and habits to sell them goods and services. As a result of this survey, 75% of Americans were familiar with the way companies as well as other organizations collect personal information in order to target advertising and special offers to them or to assess the riskiness of potential customers. Sixty percent of adults have seen advertisements that were based on their personal data. And 63% of people who see ads tailored to their interests and characteristics agree that the ads express their interests to some extent.
While most Americans are concerned about the collection and use of large amounts of data by businesses and governments, a plurality of Americans thinks certain uses of data are acceptable. Americans are more likely to consider it acceptable than unacceptable for poorly performing schools to share student information with nonprofit groups that are trying to improve educational outcomes, according to a poll conducted by the New York Research Center. Furthermore, 45% believe that the government should collect information about every American to determine who might pose a threat from terrorism. Comparatively, 29% of Americans do not believe that it's acceptable to collect data from all Americans.
The flip side is that many people find it more offensive when social media platforms scan user posts for depression signs in order to identify user risk factors for self-harm as well as connect them with mental health providers (50% vs. 25%). Similarly, 47% find this practice unacceptable, and 23% are in favor: Electronic technology companies can share audio recordings with law enforcement to help with criminal investigations. Most people are in agreement about the legitimacy of fitness and health tracking application developers giving researchers access to user data so researchers could learn more about the connections between exercise and heart disease.
Conclusion
Digital threats are cascading at an accelerating pace, which is why preparedness is essential. Defending against digital threats while managing their digital presence is now more important than ever for governments, companies, and international organizations. The first step is to install internet privacy software. Enhancing privacy and strengthening data protection can be achieved through privacy amplification technologies and managed attribution services. Today, data security must be built both at the enterprise and at the user levels, given the prevalence of online surveillance and digital malfeasance. Digital security should be maximized while minimizing exposures.
