Americans are more afraid of becoming the victim of identity theft or other online crimes than they are of being shot, according to a new academic study.
Chapman University in California released the results of its inaugural Chapman Survey on American Fears this week (h/t The Register), having interviewed 1,500 people from across the country and in “all walks of life.”
It found that people most fear walking alone at night.
However, the next two most popular answers were “becoming the victim of identity theft” and “safety on the internet.”
Surprisingly these came above “being the victim of a mass/random shooting.” Number five on that list was also a rather incongruous answer: “public speaking.”
When it came to the top five things Americans are “concerned” about, online crime was even more pervasive.
Top of the list was “having identity stolen on the internet” followed by “corporate surveillance of internet activity.” Running out of money came third, followed by government surveillance online, and “becoming sick” rounded out the top five.
However, despite the apparent high awareness levels around internet crime and online safety, there’s no guarantee that American netizens will actually take greater precautions when logging on.
The Chapman Survey found that when it comes to natural disasters, for example, Americans most fear hurricaines/tornados, followed by earthquakes, floods and pandemics.
Yet only a quarter of those interviewed said they had readied a disaster preparedness kit including items like food, water, clothing and medical supplies.
If the same is true of their online fears, it’s unlikely Americans are taking any extra precautions to stay safe online.
The researchers also looked at what external factors might be at play when considering respondents’ fears.
It found that those with a low level of education – especially high school diploma or lower – those watching TV talk shows frequently, and those who watch true crime TV programs were much more likely to fear a range of things including internet crime.
Interestingly, the study also noted that while reported violent crime levels in the US dropped significantly between 1993-2012 – from around 750 per 100,000 people to just under 400 – people's perception is that crime has increased versus 20 years ago.