Internet users are becoming more aware of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago. However, few monitor their online presence with great regularity. Just 3% of self-searchers report that they make a regular habit of it and 74% have checked up on their digital footprints only once or twice.
Indeed, most internet users are not concerned about the amount of information available about them online, and most do not take steps to limit that information. Fully 60% of internet users say they are not worried about how much information is available about them online. Similarly, the majority of online adults (61%) do not feel compelled to limit the amount of information that can be found about them online.
In addition to providing national telephone survey data, this report includes quotes from online survey respondents as well as experts in the fields of privacy, online identity management and search.
+ The nature of personal information is changing in the age of Web 2.0.
+ Internet users are becoming more aware of their digital footprint; 47% have searched for information about themselves online, up from just 22% five years ago.
+ Few monitor their online presence with great regularity.
+ Most internet users are not concerned about the amount of information available about them online, and most do not take steps to limit that information.
+ Internet users have reason to be uncertain about the availability of personal data; 60% of those who search for their names actually find information about themselves online, but 38% say their searches come up short.
+ One in ten internet users have a job that requires them to self-promote or market their name online. Among adults who create social networking profiles, transparency is the norm.
+ More than half of all adult internet users have used a search engine to follow others’ footprints.
+ Basic contact information tops most searchers’ wish lists.
One comment: We wonder how many people can't find what their looking for NOT because it's not available but because they do not have the search skills or knowledge of specialty databases to find the info they want/need/desire.
Source: Pew Internet
Note from Gary:
Thanks to Pew Internet for asking my views and acknowledging me in the report.
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