Personal info is top concern

Only 16 per cent of people are confident that internet sites will treat their personal information properly, according to a new survey by the Information Commissioner's Office that found widespread concern about data protection laws and practices. Four out of five people are concerned about how their finances or health and safety will be affected if their personal data falls into the wrong hands, according to the research published today.

The survey, carried out by research firm SMSR Ltd, shows that protecting personal information is now regarded as one of the top three most socially important issues in the UK – ranked only behind concerns over crime prevention and improving education standards. Without prompting, over half (52 per cent) of the 1,000 respondents told researchers that they were concerned that their personal details may be passed on to unknown organisations. When prompted, over 80 per cent expressed concerns about the use, transfer and security of personal information.

CATEGORIES: 1privacy, 1survey, 1identity theft, 1e-commerce