Online Privacy Issues Keep Americans from Transacting Online
Online security and privacy concerns are keeping Americans from doing many of their transactions over the internet according to recently published report by the United States National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
In the age of information technology, digital insecurity have been one of the most highlighted fears that limits the way Americans deal with their activities online. Already, a spate of reported cyberattacks have been cited as the number two reason for concern in the US behind the perceived threat of the ISIS-inspired radical terrorism.
According to a latest survey ordered by the US Department of Commerce, more than half of the 41, 000 American households cite privacy and online security concerns as the main reason for partaking less in the digital world. The polled respondents say that they have self-regulated their social media posts, censor their own opinions when commenting online, or take part in an increasingly ubiquitous e-commerce industry, Washington Post reported.
"Every day, billions of people around the world use the internet to share ideas, conduct financial transactions, and keep in touch with family, friends, and colleagues," remarked policy analyst Rafi Goldberg of the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration as quoted in their official blog. "But for the internet to grow and thrive, users must continue to trust that their personal information will be secure and their privacy protected."
Surprisingly, the survey also revealed that almost 20% of the respondents experienced online fraud and identity theft, digital security breach, and a host of other cyber-related problems. When asked about their most pressing online safety concern, 66% of the respondents answered identity theft and more than half of the surveyed households reported credit card and other finance-related fraud.
Meanwhile, Silicon Valley tech companies like Apple and Facebook-owned and WhatsApp have been steadily working on adding extra layer of protection against cyberattacks and hacking.
As per Christian Science Monitor, such companies are already providing their users with 'military-grade encryption' to their products. Recently, Apple has firmly stood its ground to help law enforcement authorities unlock the San Bernardino attacker's iPhone. Also, WhatsApp have been repeatedly shut down by Brazilian government over its unwillingness to hand over encrypted communication data of some of its users who were allegedly criminals under investigation.
