An overwhelming majority of respondents spot threat in sharing personal data with third parties online and have negative attitudes towards the transfer of personal data for commercial or other purposes.
MOSCOW, November 1, 2018. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) in cooperation with the Project Office for the implementation of the Digital Economy program under the Analytical Center of the Government of the Russian Federation present the data of a study describing the Russian opinions on the use of personal data by the third parties on the Internet.
Almost two-thirds of Russians (62%) use social media to varying degrees: 41% sign in with social media every day, 14% several times a week, 4% several times a month. Young respondents (18-24) are the most active users; the share of young daily users is 82% (vs 15% among people aged 60 and over).
Half of respondents (47%) have published personal information over the recent year. Most of social media users upvote what they liked (85%). Two-thirds of respondents (67%) post their photos and videos on their social media pages. More than half of respondents (56%) comment posts, photos and videos published by other users. Thirty percent of social media users leave information about their hobby and leisure activities. And finally 23% publish their own texts and posts on social media.
An overwhelming majority of respondents believe that the user’s information is used by third parties (55%); at the same time only 18% of social media users strongly believe in it. They are opposed by 34% of respondents (the share of those who think “it is definitely used” is 14%).
Russians tend to have negative attitudes towards the use of personal data by third parties (55%). They are also negative about using the personal data by the social media network operators (60%). However, every second respondent (52%) considers that the use of personal data by third parties poses no threat.
Providing the users with an option to allow or to ban access to certain personal information is considered as a formal measure (77%) which cannot completely secure the personal data.
The VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on September 24-25, 2018. The survey involved 3,200 Russians aged 18 and over. The survey was telephone-based and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 1.8%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
Do use the Internet? If yes, how often? (% respondents, closed-ended question, 1 answer) | |
Yes, I spend over 4 hours online every day | 24 |
I use the Internet every day, less than 4 hours | 39 |
Several times a week | 11 |
Several times a month | 3 |
Occasionally but at least once every six months | 2 |
Never use it | 20 |
Do you use any social media networking services (such as Facebook, Odnoklassniki, Vkontakte, Instagram, etc.)? If yes, how often do you use them? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Every/almost every day | 41 | 82 | 65 | 47 | 32 | 15 |
Several times a week | 14 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
Several times a month | 4 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
Once a month or less frequently | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Never use it | 18 | 4 | 9 | 22 | 26 | 17 |
I do not know what it is/Hard to say | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Those who failed to answer as they do not use the Internet | 20 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 49 |
How often do you do the following actions on social media websites? (closed-ended question, one answer per each line, % of those who use social media) | |||
| Yes, it happens | No, it never happens | Hard to say |
I post photos, videos | 67 | 32 | 1 |
I publish my own texts/posts | 23 | 77 | 0 |
I leave comments on publications/posts, photos/videos on social media | 56 | 44 | 0 |
I upvote if I like something | 85 | 15 | 0 |
I leave information about my hobby, favourite activities | 30 | 70 | 0 |
Social media users post all sorts of information about themselves when they create their personal accounts and socialize with other users: someone add photos, a vacation location or describe the mood, etc. Have you posted any information of that kind on social media over the recent half year or a year? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who use social media) | ||||||
| Social media users | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Yes, I have | 47 | 67 | 58 | 47 | 36 | 26 |
No, I haven’t | 53 | 33 | 42 | 53 | 64 | 74 |
Don’t know | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In your opinion, is the information you post on your social media pages shared with third parties, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer % of those who use social media) | ||||||
| Social media users | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Definitely yes | 18 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 10 |
Rather yes | 37 | 31 | 42 | 42 | 36 | 27 |
Rather not | 20 | 27 | 20 | 17 | 21 | 18 |
Definitely not | 14 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 27 |
Don’t know | 11 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 18 |
Generally speaking, what is your attitude towards the fact that your social media personal data are used/can be used by third parties? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who said the information is definitely used by third parties / likely to be used /unlikely to be used by third parties) | ||||||
| % of those who said the information is definitely used by third parties / likely to be used /unlikely to be used by third parties | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Positively | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Negatively | 55 | 46 | 57 | 55 | 60 | 55 |
Indifferent | 36 | 48 | 35 | 37 | 30 | 33 |
Don’t know | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
In your opinion, does the use of information by thirds parties pose a potential threat to you/your family? | ||||||
| % of those who said the information is definitely used by third parties / likely to be used /unlikely to be used by third parties | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Definitely yes | 14 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 8 |
Rather yes | 29 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 24 |
Rather no | 35 | 34 | 38 | 35 | 34 | 35 |
Definitely no | 17 | 22 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 23 |
Don’t know | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
Social media operators can use your personal data for private purposes under the data processing agreement (including your consent to transfer your data to other companies). What is your attitude towards that? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who use social media) | |
| Social media users |
Positive attitude | 4 |
Negative attitude | 60 |
Neutral attitude | 34 |
Don’t know | 2 |
Which statement do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of those who use social media) | |
| Social media users |
If social media users are able to allow/ban the use of personal data, it will secure the data | 18 |
This measure will not help to completely secure the user personal data | 77 |
Don’t know | 5 |
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