New research has shown that a “notable” number of Americans were fighting Online surveillance. This lot had taken specific technical measures to assert some control over their Online privacy & security. Much from this crowd had done so by doing simple things like using complex passwords.
The new survey by the Pew Research Center asked American adults what they thought of government’s surveillance programs, the way they were run & monitored, & whether they (the people) had “altered their communication habits & Online activities”. About 25% of those who agreed they had initiated some steps to take care of their privacy, said they had started using more complex passwords.
The notable findings in this survey, said Pew, fell in 2 broad categories – the ways people had personally responded in light of their awareness of the government surveillance programs; their views about the way the programs were run & the people who should be targeted by government surveillance.
Overall, nearly 9 in 10 respondents said they had heard at least a bit about the government surveillance programs to monitor phone & Internet use. Some 31% said they had heard a lot about the government surveillance programs, & another 56% said they had heard a little. Just 6% suggested that they had heard “nothing at all” about the programs. The 87% of those who had heard at least something about the programs were then asked follow-up questions about their Online behaviors & privacy strategies:
34% of those who were aware of the surveillance programs (30% of all adults) had taken at least 1 step to hide or shield their information from the government.
- 17% had changed their privacy settings on social media
- 15% used social media less often
- 15% had avoided certain apps
- 13% had uninstalled apps
- 14% said they spoke more in person instead of communicating Online or on the phone
- 13% had avoided using certain terms in Online communications
Pew said 25% of those who were aware of the surveillance programs (22% of all adults) said they had changed the patterns of their own use of various technological platforms “a great deal” or “somewhat” since the Snowden revelations. For instance, 18% said they had changed the way they used email “a great deal” or “somewhat”; 17% had changed the way they used search engines; 15% said they had changed the way they used social media Sites such as Twitter & Facebook; & 15% had changed the way they use their cell phones.
Click here to read up on the rest of the survey results.
Image Credit: Pew
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