Must Read: Apple to Congress: We do not use 'tax gimmicks'

Topic: iOS

Most computer users unsure about social media safety, report says

Summary: A new report tries to identify which social network is the most worrisome when it comes to the security of personal data.

Rachel King

By for Between the Lines |

Even though there are 800 million users on Facebook, many of them might be more scared than we'd expect when it comes to the safety of their information on that social network and others.

A new report from IT security solutions provider Avira found that four out of five users are worried about their personal information being stolen or misused on social media sites.

Focusing on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, Avira researchers tried to identify which one of these social networks seems the most threatening.

If they could choose only one, a quarter of respondents went with Facebook, followed by Google+ at 19 percent. Twitter must appear the least menacing as it only drew two percent of responses.

Although the report doesn't identify reasons behind the respondents' choices, Facebook and Google+ could have come in higher because users on these social networks share considerably more personal information than they do on Twitter -- depending on what they're actually typing into that 140-character box.

Nevertheless, when taken altogether, 40 percent of survey participants admitted that they are equally concerned about the safety of their personal data on all three of these networks.

For reference, this study's results are based upon the responses from 2,710 Avira customers worldwide, surveyed in January and February 2012.

Related:

Topics: iOS, Android, Apps, Google, Mobile OS, Networking, Samsung

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

3 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • There Should be No Uncertainty

    It is absolutely unsafe and Facebook and others are totally out of control. Nothing they are providing is worth the "cost" of the service. Eventually society will get online privacy sorted out, but the cost to the generation of early adopters of social media may be horrific.

    What I don't understand is what people perceive as the benefit to spreading details of their private lives all over the internet and sharing private information with organizations who's sole interest in you is what they can get you to buy?
    txscott
    Reply Vote

  • facebook is cool

    but i'm also concerned about privacy issues, facebook is great to connect to old friends from different schools, relatives you never met and make new friends from all over the world.
    bApTizE
    Reply Vote

  • So much to secure - so little to secure

    If security is important why are so few people concerned about it? Why is there so little protest against draconians and totally far fetched unreasonable projects like CISPA. With the rise in hacking related instruments : ATMs, Mobile Phones, iPODs and so on. The biggest risk is to rob people of their distinct identity. This would also need to more informed policies in government, politics and companies. And now there is social data safety as well. In a world integrating and improving on tech fronts so much, are we prepared? That is what we see everywhere - people flock to entertainment and their career goals but not towards safety aspects - whether it is their road safety of their computer security. That's how it is - I guess nothing can be done other than hope that education finds a way to everyone - and real education, not make belief one - like http://www.wiziq.com/course/3706-computer-security-and-ethical-hacking-training-by-ankit-fadia
    vickydhiman
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close