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posted by cmn32480 on Friday April 17 2015, @07:27AM   Printer-friendly
from the paranoia-makes-sense-if-everyone-is-out-to-get-you dept.

This is a little old but doesn't seem to have been discussed here. The Pew Research Center has released a report on privacy strategies adopted by Americans after the Snowden leaks started.

The analysis in this report is based on a Pew Research Center survey conducted between November 26, 2014 and January 3, 2015 among a sample of 475 adults, 18 years of age or older.

Concern about the surveillance programs is in the 30% range.

  • 39% say they are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about government monitoring of their activity on search engines.
  • 38% say they are “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned” about government monitoring of their activity on their email messages.
  • 37% express concern about government monitoring of their activity on their cell phone.
  • 31% are concerned about government monitoring of their activity on social media sites, such as Facebook or Twitter.
  • 29% say they are concerned about government monitoring of their activity on their mobile apps.

A fraction of users have changed their behaviour.

  • 18% of the Americans who are aware of the surveillance programs say they have changed the way they use their email accounts “somewhat” or a “great deal.”
  • 17% say they have changed the way they use search engines.
  • 15% say they have changed the way they use social media.
  • 15% say they have changed the way they use their cell phones.
  • 13% say they have changed the way they use mobile apps.
  • 13% say they have changed the way they use text messages.
  • 9% say they have changed the way they use their landline phone.

Spreading information about the programs seems to help change behaviour

Those who are more likely to have changed their behaviors include the people who have heard “a lot” about government surveillance (38% say they have changed a great deal/somewhat in at least one of these activities), those who are at least somewhat concerned about the programs (41% have changed at least one activity), and those who are concerned about government monitoring of their use of social media, search engines, cell phones, apps, and email.

The full 37 page PDF is available to everyone and Bruce Schneier has also written some good commentary.

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 18 2015, @03:20PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday April 18 2015, @03:20PM (#172432)

    Not to worry; I created one years ago just to make sure some jerk didn't create one under my name. But I do not use it; at least, not since one could become a "fan" of something. Well before the like button, commercials, and businesses were on it.

    The manipulative mother keeps trying to get me to use it, and that it is so annoying that people keep wishing me a birthday that A) I don't read and B) isn't the right date. Why can't I be normal like everyone else, she says... well. I can't adequately explain that to her without appearing to be a kook. I simply have to call her or email her more often...

    As for work places, these were observations based on my experiences. Places do indeed expect one to follow them on their platforms and post propaganda. One business owner obsessively checked linked in for any employee activity and kept tabs on any new connections and so on.

    The social media transparency certainly can do more harm than good.