"The Privacy Paradox: We Claim We Care About Our Data, So Why Don't Our Actions Match?"
Most people would say they care about their personal information being shared online. However, a smaller percentage of people take the necessary steps to protect their online privacy. This phenomenon is known as the "privacy paradox" in which people express privacy concerns, but fail to take action to preserve their privacy. A team of researchers conducted a new study to examine the privacy paradox further. They found that participants were willing to give up some of their privacy in order to take advantage of the services and convenience provided by an Internet of Things (IoT) device. One of the suggested reasons behind the privacy paradox is that people find it difficult to determine the value of their privacy, thus resulting in the failure to consider the importance of protecting it. Another reason may be that people lack awareness and understanding of their privacy rights or privacy issues. People believe that their personalized experience via an internet-connected device outweighs the potential risks. IoT device users are encouraged to read privacy policies, assume that their personal information is highly valuable, change the default password on any new IoT device, and more. This article continues to discuss a recent study of the privacy paradox and how it applies to IoT devices, as well as how people can match their privacy concerns with their protective behaviors.