30 percent of Americans would leak private data for $1,000
As we carry out more of our day-to-day transactions online, so the amount of information about us that exists out on the internet grows.
That means there are more and more opportunities for data to be leaked or stolen, but a new study by IT staffing company Modis reveals that people still aren't taking their privacy seriously.
If $1,000 were on offer over 41 percent of respondents say they would leak personal photos, while nearly 39 percent are willing to part with their browser history. Most are more protective about their financial information though, with only 10.9 percent ready to reveal it for the money.
When asked what they'd give up to avoid being hacked, 42.4 percent were willing to forsake alcohol, 30 percent social media, 29.1 percent chocolate, and 17.4 percent meat. And 3.1 percent would be willing to ditch their significant other in return for hacking protection.
Few people though are willing to pay to get lost data back, 67.5 percent wouldn't pay anything to recover data, with only 18.9 percent being prepared to pay between $100 and $999 to get data back following a hack.
Do these findings mean that we’re sharing too much information online? "It's possible," says Matt Davis, a creative partner of Modis. "Sometimes people forget that social media can be public. Even the most secure settings doesn't necessarily stop those who are your approved followers from sharing your information. A good rule of thumb is if you don't want something publicly known, don’t publish it online."
There are already significant numbers of people who've had their information leaked to an unwanted party. The findings show that some 30 percent of women and nearly 21 percent of men say they've suffered leaks. But who were these unwanted parties? When it came to women, the majority say it was an acquaintance (30 percent), while men say it was their significant others (almost 39 percent).
You can find out more about the findings on the Modis website.
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