3. Safety when using the Internet

Almost two thirds of Internet users are confident that to a limited extent at least, they are able to assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet. However, the circle of people who feel completely confident in this respect and therefore wish to use the Internet with total freedom and without any restrictions is just 24 %. A further 40 % are convinced that they are able to assess the possible risks at least to a certain extent. Almost a third feel somewhat or completely sceptical about their ability to do so. The extent to which someone feels able to assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet essentially depends on the scope of their personal experience. Of those who use the Internet several times per day and use an above-average number of services, around three quarters feel predominantly or completely confident here, while almost a quarter express scepticism. These doubts prevail among Internet users with a comparatively narrow spectrum of use, and particularly among those who use the Internet rarely. 61 % of people who use the Internet no more than once a week feel completely unable, or somewhat unable, to assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet.

The majority of people are confident that they can assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet

The majority of people are confident that they can assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet

Even though the majority of people feel largely confident that they can assess the dangers and risks, the answers to this question underline that in actual fact, there is considerable uncertainty in many areas.

62 % of users are confident that they can choose secure passwords, and 59 % are convinced that they can judge which e-mails or attachments are safe and can be opened without concern. Users are also reasonably confident that they can make a good assessment of the reliability of information on individual websites and what to bear in mind when using online banking facilities. Around 50 % of people are also convinced that they can make a good basic assessment of how to protect their computers from viruses or other threats, although in light of the negative experience in this area, scepticism does slightly outweigh confidence here. Doubt is expressed with even greater frequency in relation to the risk of becoming infected with viruses when accessing certain websites. 29 % of users are confident that they can reliably assess the risks when accessing certain sites, 41 % believe that they have difficulties assessing these risks, and 30 % believe that they cannot assess this risk at all. A similar number are confident that they can assess how safe it is to use free e-mail services or how to send e-mails safely without the risk that they will be read by others.

The greatest difference relates to saving and using personal data and other documents. 78 % have difficulties assessing, or are unable to assess the purposes for which the search terms they enter for online research can be used. Over 80 % can only make a limited assessment, or cannot make an assessment at all, of what happens to their personal data in social networks, online shops or search engines and which parts of this information are saved. Only a very small minority are convinced that they can make a sound assessment in this respect.

Considerable uncertainty in many areas

Considerable uncertainty in many areas

Particularly frequent Internet users with above-average confidence in their ability to assess the dangers and risks associated with the Internet quite reliably are also confident of making a better assessment in several other areas. The number of people who claim to know how to create secure passwords is 75 %, and the number of people who know which e-mails and attachments can be opened without concern is 68 %. The majority of people in this group also have faith in their basic ability to protect their computers from viruses or other threats associated with the Internet, but even among the intensive users, only 36 % are convinced that they can make a good assessment of the risks of being infected with viruses on certain websites. 35 % believe that they can make a reliable assessment of the safety of free e-mail services. People who use the Internet with particular regularity rate their knowledge concerning the storage and use of personal data and information only marginally better than the average among all users.

Intensive users are only marginally better at assessing the individual risks associated with the Internet

Intensive users are only marginally better at assessing the individual risks associated with the Internet

In some areas also, just how confident Internet users feel in assessing different aspects of Internet use is dependent on the extent to which they use the associated services and how familiar they are with them. A significant correlation can be seen here in the case of online banking, for example. 80 % of people who carry out their banking transactions online are at least occasionally sure that they know what needs to be considered while doing so, compared with 50 % of Internet users as a whole. Of those who regularly or occasionally download music or films, 70 % believe that they have a good idea of which websites can be used to do so, compared with only 36 % of all Internet users.

This correlation is significantly lower in the assessment of risks associated with online shopping. Almost half of those who shop online are at least occasionally confident that they can assess the safety of particular online payment methods, although not even one in three of these people can make a sound assessment of the reliability of Internet shops. This is not significantly better than the assessment provided by all Internet users in this respect. Looking at the example of users of social networks clearly shows that users‘ ability to make an assessment in a particular area can be low, even if they are familiar with using the associated services. The percentage among this group who have a good understanding of how to permanently delete information or photos posted online is only marginally larger than for Internet users as a whole. The knowledge among users of social networks concerning the purposes for which, and how, their personal data may be used in these kinds of networks is only marginally better than the average for all users.

Assessment by the users of the individual risks inherent to corresponding services

Assessment by the users of the individual risks inherent to corresponding services

For the vast majority, it is clear that many users are not sufficiently attentive in considering the manner in which their personal data are used. 78 % of the population and 84% of Internet users have the impression that certain online services prompt many users to exercise insufficient care with their personal data and to reveal too much information about themselves. Only a very small majority of 5 % do not believe that this risk exists.

Many Internet users point to a lack of care when handling personal data

Many Internet users point to a lack of care when handling personal data

Users‘ assessment of their own behaviour contrasts with this completely; when referring to themselves, just 22 % have the impression that the particular services that they like to use and use regularly prompt them to exercise insufficient care in handling of their personal data. 70 % are convinced that this does to not apply to themselves. Even those who use the Internet more frequently and with a wider-than-average spectrum of use, here primarily the younger generations, are not worried that they could possibly reveal too much information about themselves online. By and large, those who use social networks regularly also do not see any problems in this respect. Of this group, just 35 % are concerned that the care they exercise in handling their personal data may be inadequate, and 59 % explicitly do not believe that this risk exists.

Few people have the impression that they exercise insufficient care in the handling of their personal data

Few people have the impression that they exercise insufficient care in the handling of their personal data

Only a small minority seek information concerning the particular terms and conditions or data privacy regulations when they order or download items online. This is the case for 23 %, while 27 % pay attention at least occasionally. 44 % of online shoppers and 46 % among those who at least occasionally download music from the Internet read this kind of information only rarely or not at all.

Information on terms and conditions and data privacy regulations

Information on terms and conditions and data privacy regulations