Social Network Drama doesn’t stop at 50, says McAfee Survey

McAfee has released the findings of the company’s first survey dedicated to uncovering the online habits and behaviours of individuals ages 50–75. The study, “Fifty Plus Booms Online”, indicates that the 50+ demographic is spending a great deal of time online these days (an average of five hours a day), instilling confidence in their attitude toward technology. Some 88% of the participants say they consider themselves equally or more tech-savvy compared to others their age.

Michelle Dennedy, VP & Chief Privacy Officer, McAfee, said, The use of social networks among people 50+ is trending now that it has become more commonplace across all age groups. It seems counterintuitive that sharing personal information with strangers would not concern them, however. This further highlights their need to better understand the difference between the real and perceived dangers online and how to best protect themselves.
 
The survey further found that eight teenagers among ten use social media networks, 36% of which log in daily, opening the doors to the possibilities of social media drama. Sixteen per cent admitted to experiencing negative situations while logged into their social media accounts.
 
Overall, 57% claimed they have shared and/or posted personal information online. Email addresses (52%), cell phone numbers (27%), and even home addresses (26%) have all been shared by these 57% (excluding instances where this information was necessary for online purchases). About 80% of smartphone users and 43% of tablet users post mobile photos online.