Study Shows 4 out 5 Travelers are Concerned About Theft of Personal Data When Using WiFi [Infographic]

Anchorfree recently commissioned a study to survey 2,203 U.S. travelers’ attitudes on WiFi security, privacy, and access.

Key findings of the study include:

• 8 out 10 travelers use Public WiFi during their trip
• 4 out of 5 travelers are concerned about theft of personal data when using WiFi
• 84 percent of travelers do not take the necessary precautions to protect themselves online.
• Smart phones and tablet users are 3X more likely than laptop users to use WiFi in  a shopping mall or at a tourist attraction and 2X more likely in a restaurant or cafe.

“In the age of tablets, smartphones and ubiquitous hotspots, many travelers don’t realize that they are unsuspectingly sharing sensitive information with others on public Wi-Fi,” said Anchorfree’s CEO David Gorodyansky.

 “It’s troubling that while most travelers are concerned about online hacking, very few know how, or care enough, to protect themselves. Looming threats — from cyber thieves to malware and snoopers — are skyrocketing on public Wi-Fi and travelers need to be vigilant in protecting themselves.”

Results of the survey can be seen on the infographic below. To view the complete results of the survey, click here.

Survey Methodology

The data points referenced above come from a study commissioned by AnchorFree, fielded by PhoCusWright through Global Market Insite, Inc. and conducted as an online survey among a total of 2,203 U.S. travelers. To qualify for participation in the study, respondents were required to:

• Have taken at least one leisure trip at least 75 miles from home in the past 12 months that included paid lodging and/or air travel.
• Have used the Internet to select a destination, compare and choose leisure travel products, book travel or share travel experiences in the past 12 months.
• Have played an active role in planning their leisure trips in the past 12 months

The error interval for analysis is +/-2.1 percent at a 95 percent confidence level.

To view the complete results of the survey, click here.