Americans have a “that depends” attitude toward privacy, happy to give it up at the office environment, but protective of it at home and in their email, according to an extensive new survey.
The Pew Research Center found that Americans are willing to compromise their privacy if they can get something they value in return. For example, to find an office thief, they support camera surveillance, but they reject having a thermostat sensor at home that would track movements and temperature changes. And they tell Pew that ads belong on websites, not in their email.
“Many policy makers and companies are anxious to know where Americans drawn the line on privacy – when they will resist privacy intrusions and when they are comfortable with sharing personal data,” said Lee Rainie, director of Internet, Science, and Technology research at Pew Research Center and author of the new report.
“These findings show how people’s decisions are often context-specific and contingent. A phrase that summarizes their attitudes is, ‘It depends.’ Most are likely to consider options on a case-by-case basis, rather than apply hard-and-fast privacy rules,” he added.
The survey offered eight privacy scenarios and found that people viewed each differently.
Some examples:
— Office surveillance cameras after personal items were stolen. 54 percent said it was an acceptable tradeoff, 24 percent didn’t.
— Online health information through a doctor’s office. 52 percent said it was an acceptable tradeoff, 26 percent didn’t.
— A class reunion social media platform to help people reconnect with old friends in exchange for receiving ads in their email. 33 percent like it, 51 percent don’t. One comment: “I would only want to see advertising in that website, not in my personal email.”
— At home thermostat sensor that would learn about your temperature zone and movements around the house and potentially save you on your energy bill. That information would be shared. 27 said the tradeoff is acceptable, 55 percent said it’s not.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
