Arlington, VA, June 15--The survey of likely voters reveals that voters are becoming increasingly insecure about using the Internet and are looking for Congress, industry and consumer groups to do more to keep them safe online. It also revealed little difference between Republicans and Democrats on cyber security policy issues.
The survey was conucted on behalf of the Cyber Security Industry Alliance (CSIA), CSIA by Pineda Consulting.
The survey found voters — Republicans and Democrats alike — are nearly unanimous in their fear of identity theft and spyware. Specifically, 97 percent of voters rate identity theft as a serious problem, while 93 percent find spyware a serious problem. In addition, the fear of identity theft is keeping many consumers from doing business online, with 48 percent indicating that they avoid making purchases on the Internet because they are afraid their financial information may be stolen.
Overall, 71 percent of voters believe new laws are needed to protect consumer privacy on the Internet.
"Clearly voters are concerned about the security of their personal information on the Internet, and that fear is inhibiting the full potential of e-commerce. Keeping the Internet a place where consumers feel confident doing business can only be achieved through a coordinated, comprehensive approach that includes tough punishment through better laws, high security standards from companies, partnership with consumer groups, and protection for consumers nationwide," said Paul Kurtz, executive director of CSIA.
"We must be careful about the public policy course we chart in the next few years as it will have long-term consequences for innovation and economic growth. When legislation is deemed necessary, such as in the case of securing sensitive personal information, Congress should not duplicate requirements already set forth under existing Federal law, but should address 'gaps' in existing law and encourage the adoption of widely accepted cyber security standards."
Other survey findings of note include:
Emerging Concerns
• The majority of Internet users (83%) have heard of spyware, although the level of awareness is not as ubiquitous as spam (93%). Of those not familiar with the term, 81 percent have experienced at least one of its symptoms, such as pop-up ads or decreased computer performance.
• The more voters learn about spyware, the more it scares them. Without the benefit of a statement describing spyware, two-thirds of voters rated it a serious problem. When fully informed of the nature of spyware, nearly all voters (93%) considered it a serious problem.
• Not all software that operates in the background is perceived as harmful by Internet users. For example, 67 percent of Internet users think the benefits of automatic security updates outweigh the possible risks.
• More Internet users think small-time con artists and delinquent teenagers are the biggest threats to the safety of the Internet (45%) than enemy nations, organized crime and terrorist organizations (36%).
• Only 28 percent of voters think government is placing the right emphasis on protecting our information systems and networks, as opposed to 64 percent who think that government needs to make protecting our information systems a higher priority.
• Voters are much more likely to believe that privacy protection should be left to the U.S. Congress (60%) than to state legislatures (35%).
• Despite the call for a legislative solution, only 32 percent of voters trust the Congress to do what’s right for the Internet. On the other hand, 63 percent trust consumer groups like the Better Business Bureau.
