Security fears trigger consumer action against distrusted corporations

Oct. 24, 2011 - PRLog -- London, 24th October, 2011 – Softonic.com, the top site for secure software download and purchase in Europe and Latin America, today announces the results of a research project studying consumer response to online security breaches, privacy issues and website trust.

In light of current high profile privacy breach issues, people’s willingness to give out their details can be best described as “cautious”, with respondents being “wary” of potential threats. Almost a third (thirty per cent) categorically said that they were “unhappy” about providing details, stating concerns about identity theft, spam mail and cold calls. In all, eighty-three per cent of UK citizens expressed some concern at having to provide their personal data to corporations. Some respondents even went to great lengths to defend their privacy by changing digits of their telephone numbers, providing a false date of birth or typing deliberate misspellings.

Trust in the brand plays an important part in whether people feel happy about entering their personal details online. The majority of those surveyed claimed they would take action against an organisation for abusing this trust. If a respondent’s details had been violated, a passive twelve per cent would do nothing, however the remaining eighty-eight per cent would consider a wide variety of actions; from warning friends and family, to suing the company. Forty-six percent of those surveyed claimed that if they were to become a victim of a security breach, they would publically discredit the company. If infected by malware as a result of downloading files or content, nearly half of those surveyed would boycott that particular site for a competitor. Forty-eight per cent would go one step further and report the website to a trade body.

Although many UK internet users demonstrate good security know-how, are tech savvy and assess web sites for security features, there is an obvious room for improvement. Search engine results are used by around sixty per cent of respondents to find the source of their download, unaware of potential problems malware can pose from fake websites. Despite this, the vast majority of surfers, seventy-three per cent, look for a security seal or security certification and fifty-two per cent will only download from brands they trust. One in four consumers claim that the most effective way to solve issues around software downloads is to use a trusted website that aggregates popular software and has a clear safety guarantee.

Amongst the top trusted brands for downloading files or software are Microsoft, Apple (iTunes), Dell, Adobe and BBC.

points out, “British web users are savvy about assessing the security risks involved in downloading games, music and other software. Anyone concerned about a particular website should look for a clear security seal or guarantee on the site and for extra peace of mind, use trusted download sites that aggregate and guarantee the safety of all software and don’t insist you provide your personal details.”
More information at: http://en.softonic.com/

About Softonic (http://en.softonic.com/)

Softonic is Europe and Latin America's top website for the sale and download of secure software and a market leader worldwide. Founded in Barcelona in 1997, the company now employs a staff of more than 250 employees and offices in Barcelona, San Francisco, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Madrid.

Softonic offers one of the largest collections of software titles, applications, and commercial demos available; all of which are analyzed, evaluated and validated in different languages by a team of expert editors.

The company currently offers over 160,000 software applications for Windows and Macintosh operating systems and mobile devices available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Polish, Dutch, and Japanese.

Notes to editors:
The research for Softonic was carried out by Opinion Matters between 02 / 08 / 2011 and 16 / 08 / 2011 amongst a sample of 2014 UK Adults.

For more information about Softonic, please contact:
Or Anneka Patel (anneka.patel@edelman.com)/Chanel Sharp (chanel.sharp@edelman.com)
Tel: 0203 047 2312

Gabriela Polanco – gabriela.polanco@softonic.com
Tel.: +34 93 601 27 00