Youths not concerned about online privacy: survey
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SINGAPORE : A recent survey has found that online privacy in social networking sites is not a concern for youths, and that a majority have experienced cyber-bullying.
The survey, conducted by students from Singapore Polytechnic, involved 800 youths aged between 18 and 35.
The top three social networking sites visited by youths are Facebook, MSN Messenger and video-sharing sites like YouTube.
The majority of youths spend between two and five hours on these sites everyday.
The survey indicated that youths are compromising their privacy because they reveal genuine information online.
Close to 95 per cent reveal their gender and name, while 74.3 per cent show photos of themselves.
Meanwhile, 67.5 per cent have never changed their passwords.
Some of the reasons cited were that they were too lazy to do so, and saw no danger in not changing them.
In addition, youths are more open to their friends than to their parents on social networking sites.
Almost all respondents (98.3 per cent) said they would reveal the contents of their sites to friends.
However, only 46.1 per cent said they would reveal information to parents.
The study also found that 68.4 per cent of respondents have experienced, or known people who have experienced, cyber-bullying.
Of this figure, 43.9 per cent are indifferent to it.
The top forms of cyber-bullying include receiving excessive unwanted emails or messages, and having videos or photos posted without consent.
Youths also do not have a clear definition of cyber-bullying.
Majority think that receiving excessive email or messages and being ignored online are not forms of cyber-bullying.
Youths believe that their online well-being is in their own hands, with just 18.1 per cent believing that parents should take the responsibility.
- CNA/ms -
well, if they were forced to set privacy settings, they could not be attention whores
