People Lose Control over Their Personal Data

Bratislava, November 12 (TASR) – Although loss of control over personal data has an impact on the majority of people in Europe, as many as 49 percent of Slovaks have no idea where in the on-line world their personal data are stored, according to the results of a survey published by Kaspersky Lab on Monday.

The figure is even more alarming for the whole of Europe with 64 percent of Europeans not having this information. The survey also showed that 17 percent of Slovak parents don’t know what personal data their children share on-line, while the Europe-wide figure is even 39 percent.

Some 80 percent of Slovaks (88 percent of Europeans)  are interested in whether their data were used in an unlawful manner. Meanwhile, 67 percent of Slovaks (57 percent of Europeans) would be startled if their personal financial data were hacked. Only 31 percent of Slovak respondents trust large companies to take care of their data, while 27 percent of Slovaks believe that their personal data are safe on websites of social media.

Despite these findings, consumers do not take necessary steps to protect their data and a disquietingly high percentage of people fail to take even simple steps. One in six (16 percent) of Slovak internet users fail to secure their wifi network with a password, 28 percent of Slovaks have never updated protection of their wifi routers and 30 percent fail to protect their devices by using security software.

Firms and consumers take at least some measures to protect their data, however, their behaviour can result in the fact they’re doing it in vain. Firms that thoroughly protect their personal data have no chance to prevent users from acting irresponsibly if they, for example, use the same password for several accounts, share passwords with other persons, use simple passwords or neglect protection of routers they use.