The results of a new survey by Pew Research Center on Americans & their knowledge of digital/tech topics has thrown up a mix bag.
Pew said on its official blog that the understanding of Americans of technology-related issues varies greatly depending on the topic, term or concept. While a majority of US adults could correctly answer questions about phishing scams or website cookies, other items were more challenging.
Just 28% of the adults interviewed could identify an example of two-factor authentication. About one-quarter of Americans, about 24%, was aware that private browsing only hid browser history from other users of that computer, while about 49% of those surveyed said they were unsure what private browsing did.
This survey of 4272 adults consisted of 10 questions designed to test Americans’ knowledge of a range of digital topics, such as cybersecurity or the business side of social media companies. The median number of correct answers was four. Only 20% of adults answered seven or more questions correctly, and just 2% got all 10 questions correct.
As was true in a previous Center survey, Americans’ knowledge of digital topics varies substantially by educational attainment as well as by age. Adults with a bachelor’s or advanced degree and those under the age of 50 tend to score higher on these questions.
Via: Pew Center
