Web users resigned to loss of online privacy, survey reveals

ALMOST half of web users across Europe feel online privacy will be a thing of the past by 2020.

Research conducted by Microsoft revealed that internet users are most concerned about privacy, now and in the future, with 45% citing loss of online privacy as their number one concern and 60% worried that companies will track and save their every internet move.

The issue of privacy also emerged in web users’ biggest hopes for the future, with 66% of respondents hoping that in the future, they can browse without worrying about being watched.

The findings are part of the Internet Explorer 9: Future of the Web study, which asked more than 10,000 internet users across 12 European countries to discuss their hopes, concerns and predictions for the web by 2020.

As well as online privacy, the survey found cyber crime emerging as a major concern, with 52% believing it will continue to rise in the future.

In addition, 46% think the internet will take over their lives, never allowing people to unplug from the web.

Brian Kealy, Internet Explorer chief for western Europe at Microsoft, said the results showed privacy was becoming an issue of major concern for most web users.

“It’s clear that more and more people are becoming aware of their online privacy and are concerned about how intrusive institutions are becoming in tracking — and exploiting — their online activities,” Mr Kealy said.

“In addition, the threat of cyber crime is likely to make web users even more cautious, threatening the potential that the web has for our future.”

The research found that many surfers expect the way they act online to have a bigger impact on their offline lives in the future.

Just over a quarter of people felt the internet will know them better than their own partner by 2020, while 24% believe people’s online personas could even become more important than their offline identities.

One-third of respondents fear that over the next nine years, books, newspapers and magazines will become obsolete because of smartphone apps, websites and e-readers, while 38% fear high street shops will be replaced by online stores.

The younger generation is most confident that this will become a reality with 41% of 14- to 24-year-olds predicting newspapers and magazines will only exist online.

Web users also revealed their hopes for more quality content online, with 53% hoping that the future of the internet will deliver music, television shows, films and games in high definition.

In addition, 31% hope that the web will accurately predict what they want and need as consumers.