Some 70% of Danish consumers would like to take more steps to protect their privacy online, according to a recent study by Ingeniørforeningen IDA, the Danish society of engineers.
This marks an increase of 6% since a similar survey taken in 2023.
Other findings from the survey, which was undertaken by Analyse Danmark, include that 60% of Danes are worried about being exposed to identity theft.
Data in the wrong hands
“There is a real concern that our data will end up in the wrong hands, where it can be misused by cybercriminals for fraud or for false marketing campaigns,” commented Jørn Guldberg, IT security expert at Ingeniørforeningen IDA. “There are tools that ensure a greater degree of privacy online, but this requires that we are willing to give up a little bit of convenience in exchange for greater security.”
The survey also found that many Danes are not fully aware of tools available to protect their online privacy, such as private browsing or VPNs, with 28% stating that they actively use tools to hide their identity online, despite half responding that they ‘always’ or ‘often’ want to be anonymous online.
In addition, just 10% of respondents state that they always read the terms and conditions when signing up for new services or downloading apps.
“Many apps and services will have access to data that is not necessary for the app to function,” Guldberg adds. “This could be your contacts, your calendar or your microphone. But this puts you at risk of your personal data being shared with third parties and thus being out of your control.”
Online fraud concerns
Guldberg added that while government security measures typically focus on surveillance, the general public is more concerned about online fraud and identity theft.
“It is my impression that many Danes have a greater fear of being exposed to identity theft or fraud online, which can be extremely intimidating,” he said. “It would be a great help if the government focused more on security online.”
The study surveyed 2,022 individuals. Read more here.
