Online Privacy Statistics

By Milos Djordjevic, Online Privacy Expert, VPN Central

Online privacy is a burning issue in our modern threat landscape. It concerns both companies and individuals — no one can afford to ignore it.

The first step in tackling this question is informing yourself. We’ve rounded up the most important online privacy statistics, including facts about social media, online shopping, and data protection.

Let’s have a look at the numbers.

Here’s our pick of the most relevant statistics concerning online privacy:

• 79% of Americans aren’t confident that companies would admit to misusing and compromising their data.
• The average cost of a data breach in the US is $9.44 million.
• 92% of consumers don’t trust shopping recommendations from chats or pop-ups on websites.
• In 2022, 70% of global internet users have taken steps to protect their online activities.
• Out of all social media, Facebook collects the most data about you.
• 77% of US adults know about companies using their data to target them with ads.
• 48% of respondents feel they have no control over the search terms they use.
• Less than half of US consumers say they trust social media and other online services to protect their data.

Internet Privacy Statistics

Let’s check out some eye-opening stats about internet privacy in general:

1. 48% of respondents feel they have no control over the search terms they use.

(Statista)

Nearly half of US adults are concerned about their online searches. In addition to that, they stated that they felt no control over their:

• Visited websites — 41%
• Online purchases — 45%
• Private conversations and text messaging — 37%
• Posts on social media — 35%
• Physical location — 28%.

2. Nigerian internet users are the most concerned about their online privacy.

(Statista)

According to Statista’s global 2019 study, 82% of internet users in Nigeria are worried about online privacy. They’re closely followed by Egyptians at 76% and Indians at 73%.

The US is near the bottom of the list, in 20th place with 47%. Interestingly enough, German users are the least worried, at 26%.

3. 41.4% of all websites use cookies.

(W3Techs)

Cookies are one of the most popular tools used by websites and advertisers to track online activities.

Out of them, non-secure and non-HttpOnly cookies are the most prevalent, both at 75.2%. Furthermore, session cookies (69.9%) are more common than persistent ones (55.9%).

4. 47% of respondents updated their website’s cookie policy in the last 12 months. 

(IAPP and TrustArc) 

Online privacy statistics show that nearly a half of companies have updated their cookie policy in the last year. Additionally, 80% have updated their website’s privacy policy one or more times.

There are also other changes: 42% of respondents have deleted their clients’ personal data more regularly in 2019.

5. In 2022, 70% of global internet users have taken steps to protect their online activities.

(Statista)

As of December 2022, seven in ten respondents have taken steps to safeguard their identity online. Given the worrying digital footprint statistics, this comes as no surprise.

The most popular form of protection was parental control, at 36%.

Other commonly used security measures were:

• Multi-factor authentication — 36%
• Privacy settings on devices — 30%
• Identity theft protection services — 28%.

Social Media Privacy Statistics

Social media platforms are among the most vulnerable online spaces. The following facts are hard to dispute:

1. Out of all social media, Facebook collects the most data about you.

(Clario)

Facebook is the most data-hungry platform. It collects 79.49% of personal information, like your hobbies, pets, favorite shows, and more.

Instagram is next on the list, with 69.23%. TikTok is in third place, at 46.15%. Finally, Clubhouse and Twitter are evenly matched with 33.33%.

2. Less than half of US consumers say they trust social media and other online services to protect their data.

(Deloitte)

According to internet privacy statistics, 47% of consumers trust social media and websites to keep their data safe. The majority wishes for better privacy practices.

Still, the same study has shown that they’re not doing all in their power to protect their data. 41% have used different passwords across websites as their dominant security measure.

One look at password reuse statistics proves this is a step in the right direction. But it’s not enough on its own.

3. 79.2% of people have adjusted the privacy settings on their social media profiles or reduced their usage.

(DuckDuckGo)

In the past year, most social media users have changed their privacy-related settings or spent less time on these services. On top of that, 23% of respondents have “deleted or deactivated a social media profile due to privacy concerns.”

Among those users, 28.5% have deleted their Twitter accounts and 30.5% have deactivated their Instagram.

Online Shopping Privacy

Online advertising is often at the top of concerns about internet privacy. Here’s why:

1. 50% of American adults think that online advertisers shouldn’t save any information about their visits.

(Pew Research)

The majority of US adults expect limits on how long their data is stored. Out of them, 50% believe that online advertisers shouldn’t keep any of their data.

They’re also not comfortable with social media, video sites, and search engines keeping records.  At the same time, 28% of respondents didn’t mind credit card companies logging their activities for a few years.

2. 77% of US adults know about companies using their data to target them with ads.

(Pew Research)

Online privacy statistics have revealed that US adults are knowledgeable about ad targeting. 77% are aware that companies build user data profiles based on their online browsing. Out of them, 75% believe that all or most businesses rely on this tactic.

3. 92% of consumers don’t trust shopping recommendations from chats or pop-ups on websites.

(Chain Store Age)

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to influence consumers with technology. A whopping 92% steer clear of pop-ups and chats when it comes to shopping recommendations.

In addition to that, 81% don’t trust ads on mobile devices. Only 23% of consumers think that social media ads are reliable.

Data Privacy Statistics

Here are some interesting trends surrounding privacy regulations and practices:

1. The average cost of a data breach in the US is $9.44 million.

(IBM)

Data breaches can be an expensive mistake. According to IBM’s 2022 report, the US is in the first place, with $9.44 million. The global average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million.

2. 25% of Americans are asked almost daily to agree to a privacy policy.

(Pew Research)

One-quarter of adult Americans say they are asked to agree to a privacy policy almost every day. 32% say this happens about once a week.

Still, only 22% thoroughly read the policy before agreeing to the terms and conditions.

3. Indian internet users are the most aware of their country’s data protection and privacy rules.

(Statista)

60% of Indian internet users are familiar with their domestic data protection and privacy rules. They’re closely followed by Germany, at 59%. Egypt and Great Britain are tied at 57%.

The US is near the bottom of the list, in 18th place.

4. 79% of Americans aren’t confident that companies would admit to misusing and compromising their data.

(Pew Research)

Data privacy statistics show that most Americans don’t believe companies will admit mistakes and take responsibility for data misuse. What’s more, 69% don’t trust companies to use their data in ways they’ll be comfortable with.

Conclusion

Netizens and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of how pervasive internet privacy issues are. In turn, companies and organizations are hard-pressed to win back their trust.

Our digital privacy statistics show that there’s a rift slowly growing between them. Additionally, more users are taking their first steps in minimizing their digital footprint and protecting their information.

Still, strong security measures and a transparent privacy policy will always inspire confidence.

FAQ

Why is online privacy important?

Online privacy is important because your data is a valuable asset. Even information that you might find trivial is useful to companies and cybercriminals. It can be used against you or sold for profit, so it’s essential to keep your data safe.

How to protect your privacy online?

There are several ways you can protect your online privacy, such as:

• Creating strong passwords
• Refraining from oversharing on social media
• Using a password manager
• Enabling multi-factor authentication
• Adjusting your privacy settings on apps
• Installing a VPN.

How many people are affected by internet privacy?

Internet privacy affects everyone who has a digital footprint. According to online privacy statistics, 62% of American netizens believe it’s impossible to go through daily life without companies collecting data about them.

About the Author

Milos Djordjevic is a digital marketer passionate about technology. He has pursued a cybersecurity and online privacy career to helping organizations and individuals stay secure in an increasingly complex digital world. Milos holds a master’s degree in Marketing and more than ten years of experience on the WEB. He can be reached online at milos_djordjevic@vpncentral.com and at our company website https://www.vpncentral.com/