p2pnet - rss feed: Teens ‘protect’ personal data
p2pnet.net news:- Most teenagers watch their online profiles to keep what they see as sensitive information away from the unwanted gaze of not only strangers, but also of their parents and “other adults”.
That’s the conclusion of the latest Pew Internet & American Life Project study, Teens, Privacy & Online Social Networks.
Nonetheless, nearly two-thirds of teens with profiles (63%) believe a “motivated person” could eventually identify them from the information they publicly provide.
Some 55% of online teens have profiles and of those, nearly half (46%) say they give at least some false information, “to protect themselves and also to be playful or silly”.
Still, says the survey, today’s teens face potential risks associated with online life.
“Some 32% of online teenagers (and 43% of social-networking teens) have been contacted online by complete strangers and 17% of online teens (31% of social networking teens) have ‘friends’ on their social network profile who they have never personally met.”
Summary of Findings
participating in a new, exciting process of creating content for their profiles and making new friends. Most teens believe some information seems acceptable – even desirable – to share, while other information needs to be protected.
Still, the survey also suggests that today’s teens face potential risks associated with online life. Some 32% of online teenagers (and 43% of social-networking teens) have been contacted online by complete strangers and 17% of online teens (31% of social networking teens) have “friends†on their social network profile who they have never personally met.
Says Pew:
- 55% of online teens have profiles online; 45% of online teens do not have profiles online.
- Among the teens who have profiles, 66% of them say that their profile is not visible to all internet users. They limit access to their profiles in some way.
- Among those whose profiles can be accessed by anyone online, 46% say they give at least a little and sometimes a good deal of false information on their profiles. Teens post fake information to protect themselves, but also to be playful or silly.
- Most teens are using the networks to stay in touch with people they already know, either friends that they see a lot (91% of social networking teens have done this) or friends that they rarely see in person (82%).
- 49% of social network users say they use the networks to make new friends.
- 32% of online teens have been contacted by strangers online – this could be any kind of online contact, not necessarily contact through social network sites.
- 21% of teens who have been contacted by strangers have engaged an online stranger to find out more information about that person (that translates to 7% of all online teens).
- 23% of teens who have been contacted by a stranger online say they felt scared or uncomfortable because of the online encounter (that translates to 7% of all online teens).
Girls and boys differ in how they think about giving out personal information online, says the study, going oin:
“Online, girls are more likely than boys to say that they have posted photos both of themselves and of their friends onto their online profile. Boys are more likely to say they have posted the city or town where they live, their last name and their cell phone number when compared with girls.
“Boys and younger teens are more likely than girls or older teens to post false information on their online profiles; 64% of profile-owning boys post fake information compared with 50% of girls who do the same. Younger and older teens exhibit another split, with 69% of younger teens posting fake information versus 48% of older teens.”
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