Partner Article
NORTHERN CONSUMERS ARE SWITCHED OFF BY COMPLEX TECH
More than seven out of 10 people in the North of England say they feel devices such as smartphones and tablets have become far too complicated over the past five years, with users admitting they neglect basic IT security as a result.
As a result, three-quarters of those questioned in the survey by Lifeline IT, also admitted they failed to regularly back-up their laptop or computer because it is too complicated. Only four out of 10 feel confident their entire digital life is securely backed-up and a further 61% say they do not trust Cloud storage.
The research revealed that only 36% are vigilant in northern Britain about password security, with 42 per cent admitting to keeping passwords on post-it notes or in their phone because it is easier. The survey was carried out by network support company Lifeline IT to gain a greater understanding of how changes in technology have affected people and how that differed across the UK.
Commenting on the findings, Lifeline IT founder and director Daniel Mitchell said: “This research shows that many people feel completely left behind by the rapid changes in technology. Five years ago, devices such as iPhones were simple to set-up and operate but now even experienced ‘techies’ can struggle to get to grips with them.
“What’s worrying about these findings is that people are neglecting IT basics such as data back-up and security because they feel it’s all just become too complicated. The ramifications of this could not only be incredibly disruptive but, ultimately, very costly to an individual – losing all your digital personal information or being a victim of cybercrime can be expensive to put right.”
The North of England results are broadly in line with those of the rest of the country, including people’s attitudes towards improvements in internet and broadband performance. More than seven out of 10 (76%) in the region, compared to a UK average of 75%, said they felt internet speed had actually become worse in recent years because of the amount of downloading of visual and audio content people are now doing.
Although technology now enables consumers to run virtually their entire lives from a smartphone, nearly two-thirds (65%) in the North, said they still do not feel safe using public Wi-Fi networks to make financial transactions or access their bank account.
And whilst 54% think high-tech identification methods such as face recognition or thumbprint verification are the safest ways to access a smartphone or tablet, people continue to neglect basic security. Over a quarter (29%) are still using simple passwords such as ‘password’ or ‘1234’, which negates the advantages of biometric security.
The research was carried out with 1000 people across the UK aged between 18 and 65.
This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Bulsara .
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