At 83 per cent according to a survey by cybersecurity company NordVPN, not only are a wide majority of Australians concerned about being tracked online, but 27 per cent of us believe we’re monitored almost all the time – as in right now…
The numbers get more significant when you learn that, at 65 per cent, we’re mostly suspicious of criminals infiltrating our data, though 48 per cent believe the social media likes of Facebook are onto us.
When it comes to data mining, 78 per cent believe Facebook is collecting info on us, 40 per cent Instagram, and 21 per cent WhatsApp, and 60 per cent of Australians think apps ask for more information from us than they need to.
We’re also concerned about brands or ad agencies following our online activity at 40 per cent, with 45 per cent concerned about Google, and 36 per cent suspicious of the government.
Worry is also prevalent when it comes to banking and financial information, with 68 per cent anxious in this sector, and 61 per cent concerned about their passwords getting hacked.
Still, 38 per cent of us store banking log-in details on various devices.
Also on the list, 18 per cent see danger of their email getting hacked, 16 per cent worried about personal photos and videos being accessed, and 23 per cent their address.
With the widespread use of phones for communication and transactions, 84 per cent of Australians see them as the easiest way to be tracked. Laptops come in second, at 78 per cent, and desktop computers third at 73 per cent.
So why do so many of us believe we’re being targeted? At 68 per cent, the majority believe it’s for advertising purposes, while 50 per cent believe the data is being analysed for identity theft.
The experts say there are steps to make ourselves less trackable, like not accepting cookies or using public WiFi. Of course, as they say, if you’re paranoid there’s often reason to be.
“It’s not only cybercriminals who want your data,” says a NordVPN digital privacy expert. “Social media networks, ISPs, third-party organisations, websites and governmental institutions regularly collect users’ personal data and browsing habits for marketing or other purposes. They frequently use cookies to track your digital footprints.”
