{"id":27452,"date":"2013-02-26T14:18:48","date_gmt":"2013-02-26T04:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/power-up.space\/?p=27452"},"modified":"2013-02-26T14:18:48","modified_gmt":"2013-02-26T04:18:48","slug":"new-avg-study-reveals-25-of-people-store-intimate-images-on-their-mobile-device","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.impulsegamer.com\/wordpress\/?p=27452","title":{"rendered":"New AVG Study Reveals 25% of People Store Intimate Images On Their Mobile Device"},"content":{"rendered":"

AVG Technologies<\/a> N.V. (NYSE: AVG) has released a study* which reveals that one in four average mobile users stores intimate photos or videos on a smartphone or tablet. Furthermore \u2013 and despite the obvious risks to personal privacy if a device is lost or compromised \u201370 per cent of consumers are unaware of security features that allow such data to be deleted remotely.<\/p>\n

Michael McKinnon, Security Advisor at AVG Technologies AU, said:\u00a0 \u201cClearly, consumers are embracing the photographic and video capabilities of their devices, however, the mobile survey also revealed a marked conservatism among consumers when it comes to more practical, everyday features.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, among the 5,000 smartphone users questioned in the UK, US, France, Germany and Brazil, fewer than 40 per cent use their device for either online shopping (35 per cent) or online banking (38 per cent).<\/p>\n

The primary reason given by those holding back from using their device to shop online was a perceived lack of security \u2013 nearly 50 per cent of smartphone users feel that using a mobile device isn\u2019t as safe or secure as using a computer. Similarly, only 36 per cent would consider checking their bank balance from a smartphone, compared to 78 per cent when using a PC.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis survey has clearly demonstrated that there is confusion in the minds of consumers about what is and isn\u2019t safe or sensible to do with a mobile device,\u201d said JR Smith, CEO of AVG Technologies. \u201cIt is already limiting the appeal of mobile shopping, banking and ticketing, and this is in turn hampering the industry\u2019s efforts to drive innovation and new monetisation methods. At the same time, millions of consumers are exposing themselves to risk of personal and professional embarrassment by storing sensitive images on their devices.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is time for the industry to wake up and start educating consumers about privacy and security,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cIf it does not, mainstream consumers will remain sceptical about mobile commerce, potentially wasting billions of dollars of investment into new features, and the manufacturers, networks and developers will face the wrath of wronged consumers when their digital privacy is compromised.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key Findings<\/b><\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 80% of consumers are unaware of the risks posed by malware<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 25% of consumers store intimate or very personal photos on their mobile devices<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 70% of consumers are unaware of the security threats posed by public WiFi, yet this doesn\u2019t change consumer use of public WiFi<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Nearly 90% of consumers avoid using public WiFi when banking online<\/p>\n

\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Only 40% of respondents use their device for either online shopping (35%) or online banking (38%)<\/p>\n

In conclusion these results indicate that consumers need to be educated on the importance of mobile security, and importantly act on this education.<\/p>\n

MEF Global Privacy Report<\/b><\/p>\n

A separate Global Privacy Report from MEF**, sponsored by AVG, reveals consumer attitudes towards the use of their personal information by mobile app providers.<\/p>\n

The explosion of the apps ecosystem is driven by new business models where many apps are free or heavily discounted which, of course, consumers love, but this is where developers monetise the information they collect on their users.<\/p>\n

The report identified:<\/em><\/p>\n