Brits Relaxed about Online Security
New research reveals just how relaxed the Brits are when it comes to protecting themselves in the digital era, from using easy-to-guess passwords to thoughtlessly disclosing personal information.
The online study by Experian plc revealed three of the most regularly used passwords–town of birth, 24 percent; date of birth, 1 percent; name of past schools, 18 percent–are among the top 10 of personal details the public includes on social-networking and dating sites.
The new study examined how inclined consumers are to disclosing personal details online compared with the information they are prepared to give out to people/companies contacting them by phone. The figures were vastly different, with much fewer people admitting to give out such personal information directly to strangers (town of birth, 7 percent, name of past schools, 1 percent, mother’s maiden name, 6 percent).
Additionally, the research revealed more than half of the respondents use the same online password for some or most of their online accounts, with 52 percent admitting to never changing their online passwords, or only changing their passwords when they think their online account may have been compromised or have been prompted to do so.
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