"How Repeated Questions Could Put You at Risk of Cybercrime"

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of East Anglia's School of Psychology demonstrates how simple repetition can cause individuals to overshare, exposing themselves to the risk of identity theft and cybercrime. The research team suggests that a better understanding of why people divulge personal information could help in the development of solutions to the problem. Personal data is continuously getting mined, from online newspaper subscriptions to customer surveys. However, there are potential costs and security risks for consumers who share their personal information. The research team asked for a variety of personal information from 27 study participants, including their height, weight, phone number, and views on immigration, abortion, and politics. Then the participants ordered the questions from least to most intrusive and were asked how much of their personal information they would "sell" to be made available on a purpose-built website for two weeks. They were again asked how much information they would sell for even more money. Their information would appear for another two weeks. In a second, larger online study, 132 individuals were asked how much information they would sell at two different times, in addition to various personality questions. The first study showed that asking for actual personal information boosted information disclosed when it was requested again. This impact was mirrored in the second study, which found no change in people's related privacy concerns. People alter their behavior but not their opinions. This indicates that simple repetition can cause people to overshare. This article continues to discuss the new study on people over-disclosing their personal information due to repetition. 

The University of East Anglia reports "How Repeated Questions Could Put You at Risk of Cybercrime"