Other results show that a third (34%) of women would choose to improve personal security over internet speed, 70% more than men (20%). Millennials are three times more likely to want faster connectivity than better online security (76%). Generation X and baby boomer generations are more security-conscious with more than 1 in 2 (54%) opting to improve personal online security rather than internet speed.
The majority of participants felt safer when credentials, such as username or password, are required to access public WiFi networks, 23% said they feel secure when no details are required to connect. Also, 69% of survey-takers said they would enter their email address and one fifth (20%) would give up their home address to connect to public WiFi.
Whilst connected, 49% use public WiFi to shop online and 36% to do their banking, both of which involve credit or debit card transactions. Research also reveals that 28% of people access work emails whilst connected to public WiFi, serving as a reminder that user behaviour isn’t just a personal security issue but also a very real threat to businesses.
The survey also found that 59% of Britons are still disclosing personally identifiable information (PII) over public WiFi such as their account passwords (35%) or credit/debit card number (27%).
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