Americans trying new ways to skirt online spying
Print Edition
Americans have been stepping up efforts to keep their data private since the revelations about vast US government surveillance programs, a survey showed yesterday.
The Pew Research Center survey showed 30 percent of United States adults had taken steps to shield their information from unwanted attention.
And 22 percent said that they have changed how they use technology or social media since the leaks by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden in June 2013.
Lee Rainie, who heads Internet studies at Pew, said the survey showed Americans are “adjusting some activity at least in some simple ways like changing their privacy settings and being a bit more discreet in the things they say and search for”.
About one in six said they had changed how they use email, search engines or social media, Pew found. Others said they had made changes in their use of cell phones, mobile apps, texting or landline telephone use.
The changes included modifying privacy settings on social media or using social media less often. But 15 percent said they have avoided certain apps and 13 percent have uninstalled apps due to privacy concerns.
And one in seven indicated they speak more in person instead of online or on the phone or avoid using certain terms in online communications.
“A notable share of Americans have taken specific technical steps to assert some control over their privacy and security, though most of them have done just simple things,” the survey authors wrote.
“For instance, 25 percent of those who are aware of the surveillance programs are using more complex passwords.”
But Pew researchers found a majority of Americans did not take advantage of more powerful privacy tools such as encrypted email, proxy servers or anonymous search engines. In most cases, the respondents were unaware of these tools or felt they were too complicated to use.
The survey showed mixed views about the merits of government surveillance.
Nearly nine of out 10 surveyed said they had heard about the government monitoring and 52 percent said they were “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about the programs.
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