Consumer security survey captures user experiences and
attitudes related to online scams and privacy trends
WOBURN,
Mass., April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaspersky
has released a new survey report, "Digital Uncertainty: Scams,
Privacy and Artificial Intelligence," revealing that users are
frequently encountering scams on social media, dating apps, gaming
platforms, banking and sports betting sites. Among the
top findings were that 42% of users have encountered scams on
online dating apps, 38% have encountered scams on Facebook and even
18% of users of online sports betting sites. Overall,
29% of users have actually fallen victim to some type of scam on
one of these online platforms.
The survey also found that nearly six in ten users have had to
change their password for security reasons in the past six months,
and that 75% of consumers would like to see new privacy regulation
in 2024.
Kaspersky data shows that one of the most common forms of scam –
phishing attacks – grew by 40% in 2023. And, in recent years,
online scams seeking to steal victims' personal information and
money have expanded beyond fraudulent emails and websites, now
targeting users on social media, messaging apps, online gaming
platforms and cryptocurrency exchanges. Scammers
disguise themselves as everything from customer service
representatives to online daters to celebrities, while AI tools
make it easier than ever for them to operate.
In February 2024, Kaspersky
surveyed 2,000 North American adults (in the U.S. and Canada) about their experiences with scams
related to various online platforms, and also asked them about some
of their digital habits, as well as their attitudes toward
prominent issues affecting their security and privacy in 2024.
The survey found that 36% of Facebook Marketplace users have
encountered scams on the platform, where scams can take various
forms. Twenty-five percent of Instagram users have encountered
scams on the app, followed by online gaming platforms (18% of users
encountered scams), and online banking (15%).
Users also revealed the rates at which these scams have been
successful. Twenty-four percent of dating app users said they've
fallen victim to a scam on the apps, followed by Facebook (18%),
Facebook Marketplace (18%), Instagram (15%), online sports
betting (14%), online gaming (10%) and online banking
(9%).
"There's no corner of the internet that isn't, to some extent,
being infiltrated by bad actors looking to take advantage of
people," said Kurt Baumgartner,
principal security researcher with Kaspersky's Global Research and
Analysis Team. "Consumers should always keep their guard up, apply
a baseline level of skepticism and take basic steps to protect
their online security, such as using multi-factor authentication,
avoiding password reuse and limiting app permissions."
The study also captured data about digital security and privacy
habits that consumers would like to improve in 2024. Those included
"being more mindful of the links I click on" (65% of respondents),
"using stronger passwords" (57%), "being more careful about signing
up for online services that ask for my personal data" (54%), "using
multi-factor authentication" (49%), "Using a different password for
each online account" (41%), "being more careful about limiting app
permissions on my phone" (40%), "reducing my screen time" (22%),
and "reducing my kids' screen time" (10%).
Apart from scams, the survey asked about a number of other
privacy-related issues about which respondents might have concerns,
including artificial intelligence. A plurality of respondents (38%)
said they believe AI will mainly hurt digital privacy and security
in the future, compared to those who said it would help (18%),
while 14% said "neither" and 30% said "unsure." Seventy-seven
percent of respondents said they are concerned about the use of
AI-generated deepfake videos and voice recordings to spread
misinformation online. Nearly half of respondents (48%) expressed
privacy concerns related to augmented reality devices with facial
recognition technology such as Apple Vision Pro.
On the issue of privacy regulation, 75% of consumers said they'd
like to see new rules designed to protect users this year, compared
to just 10% who answered "no" and 15% who were unsure.
The full report is available here.
Additional Resources:
- Complete survey report: Digital Uncertainty: Scams,
Privacy and Artificial Intelligence
- Report: Spam and phishing in 2023
- Protect yourself: Kaspersky's complete suite of security
solutions to protect users and their devices
About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity
and digital privacy company founded in 1997. With over a billion
devices protected to date from emerging cyberthreats and targeted
attacks, Kaspersky's deep threat intelligence and security
expertise is constantly transforming into innovative solutions and
services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure,
governments and consumers around the globe. The company's
comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint
protection, specialized security products and services, as well as
Cyber Immune solutions to fight sophisticated and evolving digital
threats. We help over 220,000 corporate clients protect what
matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
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SOURCE Kaspersky Lab Inc