Survey : Attitudes of Young People Towards Disclosure of Personal Data on the Internet

The Commissioner Mr. Roderick Woo (left) and Miss Adelaide Hung, Business Administrative Officer, Quality Evaluation Centre, City University of Hong Kong announced the survey results of "Attitudes of Young People towards Disclosure of Personal Data on the Internet" on 26 August 2007.

To better understand the use of blogs and social networking websites by young people, especially their views on the disclosure of personal data on the Internet, the PCPD commissioned the Quality Evaluation Centre of City University of Hong Kong to conduct a survey on "Attitudes of Young People towards Disclosure of Personal Data on the Internet". From 16 to 26 July 2007, 500 people aged between 12 and 24 in Hong Kong were interviewed. The response rate was 69.9%.

The survey was divided into 3 parts: i) the use of blogs or personal webpages and social networking websites; ii) disclosure of personal data on the Internet; and iii) views on the disclosure of personal data on the Internet.

The Use of Blogs/Personal Webpages

The survey showed that over one-half of the respondents (51.0%) had written blogs or personal webpages, but only 13% had used social networking websites. The main purpose for having blogs/ personal webpages was to record daily happenings (29.8%) and share their feeling with others (29.8%). On average, respondents wrote blogs/personal webpages 1-3 times a week (34.5%) and spent less than 1 hour each time (83.1%). Over one-half (55.3% or 141 respondents) had posted their real personal data on blogs or personal webpages, including photos or videos (83.7%), age or date of birth (73.8%), real name (49.6%), school name (34.8%) and telephone number (9.9%).

In the survey, 141 people had posted their real names on blogs or personal webpages and 25.5% of them had been approached by strangers. Only 8.3% of them met with strangers.

The Use of Social Networking Websites

Respondents used social networking websites mainly to meet new friends (33.8%) or to keep in touch with relatives and friends (23.1%). Almost one-quarter (24.6%) used social networking websites everyday while 23.1% used the websites between 1-3 times a week and 12.3% used them 4-6 times a week. Some 63.1% of the respondents spent less than 1 hour each time. Also, 29.2% of the respondents who used social networking websites had posted their real data, including their age or date of birth (94.7%), photos or videos (73.7%), real name (63.2%), school name (47.4%), telephone number (10.5%) and ID card number (10.5%).

The survey findings indicated that 76.9% of the respondents who used social networking websites were aware that their profiles might be accessed by others. But only 36.9% of them restricted others' from looking at their profiles.

Disclosure of Personal Data on the Internet

According to the survey, most of the respondents posted their photos or videos (blogs/personal webpages: 83.7%; social networking websites: 73.7%) and age or date of birth (blogs/ personal webpages: 73.8%; social networking websites: 94.7%) online. But ID card numbers (blogs/personal webpages: 99.3%; social networking websites: 84.2%) and telephone numbers (blogs/ personal webpages: 89.4%; social networking websites: 84.2%) were not disclosed. Most of the respondents believed ID card numbers (blogs or personal webpages: 64.3%; social networking websites: 56.9%), telephone numbers (blogs or personal webpages: 64.3%; social networking websites: 50.8%), addresses (blogs or personal webpages: 47.1%; social networking websites: 46.2%) and real names (blogs or personal webpages: 32.5%; social networking websites: 32.3%) should not be posted on blogs/personal webpages or social networking websites.

Over one-half of the respondents (57.2%) did not like their photos and videos being uploaded for public viewing while 31.4% said their friends had posted their photos or videos on the Internet without their consent. Also, 57.8% were unhappy because they felt they were not respected (48.1%) and their privacy was violated (41.2%).

But most of the respondents (75%) would seek their friends' consent before posting their photos and videos online. Only a small number of them had posted their friends' personal data on blogs/personal webpages (15.3%) or social networking websites (9.2%).

Most of the respondents did not tell their parents they had their own blogs/personal webpages (57.6%) or used social networking websites (66.2%). Older respondents or those with higher education were more willing to post their photos and videos in blogs or personal webpage and social networking websites.

Views of the Young People on Disclosure of Personal Data on the Internet

About 62% of the respondents worried that disclosing personal data on the Internet would result in privacy issues. The key concerns were "my personal data will be misused" (59.7%), "approached by strangers" (21.6%) and "financial losses" (7.4%). More than threequarters of the respondents (76.8%) agreed that "When I post my personal data on the Internet, I worry that the data will be misused". But only 48% adopted online security measures to safeguard their personal data. Common measures included "change my password regularly" (46.7%), "do not disclose my real identity rashly" (14.6%) and "only those who know me are allowed to see my personal data" (13.8%).

Respondents who did not write blogs or personal webpages were more concerned about the disclosure and misuse of personal data on the Internet. Likewise, respondents who did not post their real personal data on blogs/personal webpages or social networking websites were more concerned about privacy issues.

The survey revealed that young people rather concern themselves with personal data privacy on the Internet. The PCPD will formulate appropriate education and promotion strategies to enhance their understanding in this aspect.