A new study conducted by the cybersecurity company NordVPN, estimated that 63 per cent of global population are online, however, found that more than a third of people (33 per cent) would delete themselves from the internet if they could.

 

When asked about the reason, 45 per cent said there is no reason for their name to be on the internet, while 42 per cent said they feel used because companies collect their data and use it to their advantage. Another 34 per cent said they feel that someone will eventually hack their devices, and 31 per cent don’t trust the internet.

 

According to respondents from the survey of 10,800 people, half (50 per cent) said that they would most like their personal financial information to be deleted from the internet. Other information people want deleted from the internet include unflattering photos/videos 33 per cent, embarrassing moments 28 per cent, old dating/social media profiles 25 per cent, and previous employment history 15 per cent.

 

“While removing yourself from the internet sounds like a good idea for those concerned with having their personal information exposed to the wrong entities, you have to ask yourself if wiping the slate totally clean is even possible in our  digital-dominant world,” said Daniel Markuson, a digital privacy expert at NordVPN. “Our study also found that some would be in favor of a more practical approach because 38% would be in favor of paying to use the internet anonymously at all times.”

 

For those who want to be anonymous when online and are willing to pay for it, the study reveals that 27 per cent of people would pay up to $100, 7 per cent would pay between $101-500, and 3 per cent would fork out between $501-1,000 to be anonymous. Two percent of respondents said they would pay even more.

 

The survey found that keeping their personal information safe on the internet is the key to happiness online. As many as 71 per cent of people would most be afraid of having their financial data accessed by a hacker (or malicious third party), while 43 per cent said texts and emails, 35 per cent said “medical information,” 33 per cent said “social media accounts,” and 24 per cent said “relationship life.”

 

“While we can hope to remove some information about ourselves online, only better online habits can help people feel safer when they're on the internet. Using more sophisticated passwords, trusted cybersecurity tools (such as a VPN, antivirus, and password manager) and practicing a general awareness of threats will help people protect their most valuable information online for years to come,” said Daniel Markuson from NordVPN. – TradeArabia News Service