Introduction by DIVSI director, Matthias Kammer

Matthias Kammer
Director of Deutsches Institut für Vertrauen und Sicherheit im Internet (DIVSI)

The Internet is becoming a part of the lives of more and more people – in the office, at home or on the go via smartphones. It is used as a source of information both privately and professionally independent of time and place. The Internet serves as an important work platform. At first glance, the opportunities provided by the Internet seem unlimited.

Increasingly, though, we hear friends and relatives express their uncertainties and concerns about using the Internet. At times, they lack the necessary routine. But isn’t it said in many studies that 80 percent of the digital society is already online? If so, wouldn’t the daily use of the Internet now be intuitive for nearly 60 million people in Germany?

A basic condition for routine use of the medium is always to “feel secure in using it,” “to be familiar with it” and to place trust in it. There is no such thing as total security, neither in the real world nor in the virtual world. This always boils down to a personal choice between security and freedom and between trust and control. It is a question of “tolerable uncertainty” and of “acceptable risk,” which each individual must answer for himself or herself.

This process of reflection piqued the interest of Deutsches Institut für Vertrauen und Sicherheit im Internet (DIVSI). We wanted to know now the diverse attitudes about trust and security on the Internet within German society. To find out, we asked the highly respected Sinus-Institut to conduct a fundamental social-sciences study. You are now holding a condensed version of the results produced by the institute.

Let’s start with answers to the questions of who uses the Internet in what ways and why as well as what attitudes are held about trust and security on the Internet and what demands are placed on these two issues: Nearly 40 percent of Germany’s population views itself as digital outsiders. These are people who do not go online at all or do not dare to use the Internet at all or use it only occasionally because of their inability, fear, uncertainty or mistrust. Such people are light- years away from viewing the Internet as a natural part of social and business interactions.

This finding and many other exciting results of the study demonstrate how important it is to take a closer look at our digital society. We intend to do our part to promote additional trust and security on the Internet. I am looking forward to an open dialogue about this issue and cordially invite you to add your voice to it.