UK citizens becoming more careful online

Privacy issues on sites like Facebook have filtered through to the general public

Adults are becoming more security conscious when sharing information via social networking sites, according to a new study by Ofcom.

The UK Adults' Media Literacy report (PDF) found that 80 per cent of adults using social networking sites now limit access to their profiles to friends or family, compared with 48 per cent in 2007.

UK adults willing to enter their email address online has dropped from 49 to 44 per cent, Ofcom found, while 51 per cent look for secure signs such as padlocks before entering sensitive information.

Stewart Purvis, a partner for content and standards at Ofcom, suggested that concerns over privacy, such as those dogging Facebook, are having a noticeable impact on consumer attitudes to sharing information online.

"UK consumers are, on the whole, thinking a lot more about the personal information they provide online. It's about a balance between being security conscious and feeling confident about using online services," he said.

UK adults are also more wary of the information they gather from the internet. Just 31 per cent believe information on the web to be accurate and reliable, compared to 52 per cent for television and 50 per cent for radio.

However, despite these concerns, people continue to use the internet for day-to-day tasks. Ofcom said that 30 per cent prefer to check their bank balance online compared with 22 per cent in 2005, and 36 per cent prefer to book holidays online.

The survey also found a conservative approach among adults to file sharing. Some 47 per cent said that it should be illegal, while just 29 per cent argued that it should be legal.

This compares with the results of a separate survey suggesting that 45 per cent of 16 to 24 year-olds believe file sharing should be legal.