Fear of the unknown. Half of people globally worry about being hacked

Fear of the unknown. Half of people globally worry about being hacked

Around a third of internet users say they would like to delete themselves from the internet, with people in the US and Canada being at the top.

According to joint research conducted by the cybersecurity company NordVPN and the personal data removal service Incogni, 45% of respondents are concerned about potentially being hacked. That is one of the main reasons people want to erase their online presence.

“Every day, more and more personal and financial information is stored online. With that, identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized transactions become a real threat. Many people fear that hackers could steal sensitive data like bank account details, passwords, or private photos, leaving them vulnerable to financial loss and exposure,” says Marijus Briedis, CTO at NordVPN.

People globally also expressed that:

• Almost half (44%) of people feel hopeless, as they don’t know how to remove themselves from the digital world.
• 76% of respondents express concern about the potential for hackers or malicious third parties to access their financial information. Statistically, Canadians are notably more likely to fear that such entities could compromise their financial data.
• 57% of all respondents say they know how to delete their personal information from the internet, or at least some of it.

Additionally, according to the National Privacy Test conducted by NordVPN, with 25,567 respondents from 181 countries, only half of the population claim to know how to secure their privacy online. 

“The violation of privacy, whether through the theft of personal messages or social media accounts, can be distressing, while the potential for reputational damage from hacked accounts adds to the anxiety,” says Briedis.

He added that the shift in people’s attitude and their increasing need to delete their presence from the internet highlights a trend: People no longer passively accept the idea that their data should live on the internet forever. There is a growing demand for control, empowerment, and the right to be forgotten. 

Another significant source of worry for individuals is the complexity of recovering from a hack. Regaining control of compromised accounts, securing financial assets, and addressing any harm caused by cybercriminals can be time-consuming and overwhelming. 

“With the rise of scams and phishing attacks, many fear that their personal information could be exploited for malicious purposes, further compounding the sense of insecurity. The growing threat of hacking underscores the importance of taking preventative measures and remaining vigilant in an increasingly connected world,” states Briedis.

Methodology: 2024 survey: Would you delete yourself from the internet? was commissioned by NordVPN and carried out by Cint between June 28 and July 10, 2024. A total of 6,800 respondents aged 18 years old and older from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy were surveyed. Researchers placed quotas on respondents’ gender, age, and place of residence to achieve a nationally representative sample of internet users.