Internet Users Will Exchange Privacy For Security
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009Internet users are willing to let trusted online vendors profile their computers if it means increased security and less of a need to share personal information, according to a report by the privacy research group Ponemon Institute and sponsored by ThreatMetrix.
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| Internet Users Will Exchange Privacy For Security |
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The report found that 78 percent of users surveyed believe that online merchants, banks and social networks should use technology such as a “cookie” or other invisible software, to protect consumers’ identity while only 21 percent want online vendors to require more personal data from the consumers themselves.
“Given the negative attention to and connotations of cookies and similar types of tracking software, we were surprised to find that an overwhelming majority of consumers surveyed were comfortable with the idea of having their computers profiled in order to be identified by online vendors,” said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder, Ponemon Institute.
“However, the finding is consistent with the value consumers place on convenience and their desire to have a more secure, trusted transactional experience online.”
The majority (80%) of Internet users are concerned about becoming victims of online fraud and 83 percent believe online vendors should increase efforts to prevent fraudsters from stealing consumers’ personal information.
In addition, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they would be willing to have their computers authenticated by an online merchant before purchases are completed and 75 percent said computer authentication is preferred because it’s more convenient than remembering passwords or answering pre-selected questions.
Other key findings include:
Among survey responders who expressed concern over the use of device
identification, 33% said they are worried that their personal information
would be disclosed to other online businesses and services.
– Another 12% of respondents are concerned about merchants misusing or
abusing the device authentication data themselves.
– A full 55% of those indicating concern noted they’d rather use
passwords to prove their identities.
– Finally, 61% of total users surveyed said they’d expect to be notified
if an online merchant was unable to match their computer’s device
fingerprint to a security system and 83% said they’d expect the online
merchant to provide alternative methods of verification if device
identification proved ineffective.
