This spring, RT Strategies was busy working on a survey that was looking for answers to generational differences in perceptions of online safety. After surveying 1035 adults, including 260 pairs of parents and their teenage children, we were able to draw some very interesting conclusions about what people- in every generation- are concerned about when it comes to online safety.

One of the most important set of results I found in the survey focuses on the fact that almost everyone is very concerned about safety and their privacy when surfing the Internet. I've listed some of the percentages below that stress how important it is to people.
• 95 percent feel that Internet safety is a very important or somewhat important issue to them 
• 97 percent feel that protecting personal privacy is very or somewhat important to them
• 56 percent feel they do not have enough or no privacy at all online
• Across generations, protecting personal privacy is very or somewhat important to 99 percent of Older Americans, 98 percent of parents and 93 percent of teens

When it comes to privacy, I was surprised by some of opinions found on the survey. One concerned consumer said:

"I don't think there is such a thing as personal privacy when it comes to the Internet.  Anything you put out there, anyone can see."

That's a pretty bold statement. But a statement that seems to reflect what many people believe. It seems that people are aware of the lack of privacy they have on the Internet, they are very concerned about their privacy, but then they still put personal information online. Maybe people aren't fully aware that every time they post pictures or visit websites that virtual breadcrumbs are being left on the Internet that can later be traced?