Nearly Three-quarters of People Concerned About Their Personal Data Being Accessed and Used Inappropriately by the Government
New Malwarebytes research reveals the majority of people are concerned about wrongful data access from nearly every corner of their lives
SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Malwarebytes, a global leader in real-time cyber protection, released new global research that highlights the widespread unease surrounding the protection of personal data. Malwarebytes found that the majority of people feel increasingly vulnerable to privacy violations from corporations (89%), governments (72%), AI tools (89%), and scammers. The research shines a spotlight on the dire need for better privacy protections in an era where individuals feel isolated in securing their personal sensitive information.
Read the full research findings
"Data is power; and we are too often asked to give up our power in today's digital landscape," said Marcin Kleczynski, CEO and Founder, Malwarebytes. "The survey results underline the urgency for stronger, more transparent privacy laws alongside education to help consumers understand their rights and actions they can take to safeguard their personal data and identity."
Key findings from the Malwarebytes privacy concerns survey include:
-- 89% of respondents are concerned about their personal data being used
inappropriately by corporations.
-- 72% are similarly worried about government access to their data without
consent.
-- 77% of people feel that many online transactions are designed to collect
their personal data.
-- 89% expressed concern about AI tools using their data without
permission.
-- 60% of people are concerned their phone is listening to their
conversations and targeting ads at them.
-- 70% of people feel resigned that their personal data is already out
there, and they can't get it back.
These findings are further exacerbated by recent high-profile incidents, such as the UK government requesting Apple's access to encrypted cloud data, the release of documents revealing exposed Social Security numbers, and the bankruptcy of genetic testing company 23andMe, prompting customers to delete their data.
As trust in traditional privacy safeguards wanes, many people are taking matters into their own hands to protect their personal information. Malwarebytes discovered that:
-- 40% of respondents stopped using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or X
(formerly Twitter) to safeguard their data.
-- 26% abandoned fertility or period-tracking apps due to privacy concerns.
-- 75% actively opt out of data collection whenever possible.
-- 23% use a personal data removal service to help clean up any data that
is easily found online.
"While privacy challenges may seem overwhelming, the survey results demonstrate that many individuals are not giving up on securing their personal information," said Mark Beare, GM of the consumer business unit, Malwarebytes. "This is a powerful reminder that, even in the face of increasing privacy invasions, there remains hope - and tangible actions people can take - for the future of online security."
How to Protect Personal Data
-- Make sure your social media accounts are set to private. You've likely
shared photos and info about you and your family over the years. Make
sure your accounts are locked down.
-- Use fake, "dummy data" wherever you can: In some places, like medical
facilities, you do need to use real data. But whenever you're signing up
for something less official, try using dummy data.
-- Review privacy settings on your apps: Keep things as private as you can.
For example, don't use real photos for profile pictures, remove statuses
that let others know when you or your children are online, set as much
as possible to "private," and give the least amount of personally
identifiable information (eg. home address, phone number, etc.) as you
can.
-- Keep your devices updated and use security software: Stop known and
unknown viruses and scams. Also use a browser extension to block
phishing sites and malicious sites that often host infostealers.
Infostealers are a type of malware that silently steals data from your
device. This data can then be sold on the dark web to identity thieves.
-- Set up identity monitoring: This alerts you if you or your family's
information is being traded online, and helps you recover afterwards.
-- Understand your risk: Malwarebytes Digital Footprint Scanner reveals
what information is publicly exposed so you can make sure to change
passwords and remove information. You also can leverage a Personal Data
Remover solution to help delete as much online information as possible.
To read more about the latest threats and cyber protection strategies, visit the Malwarebytes blog, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X.
Research Methodology:
Malwarebytes conducted a pulse survey of its newsletter readers between March 17 and 27, 2025, via the Alchemer Survey platform. In total, 1500 people from across the globe participated.
About Malwarebytes
Malwarebytes is a global cybersecurity leader delivering award-winning endpoint protection, privacy and threat prevention solutions worldwide. Built on decades of experience as the last resort to find and eradicate the latest malware, Malwarebytes is now trusted by millions of individuals and organizations to stop threats at each stage of the attack lifecycle, secure digital identities and safeguard data and privacy. A world class team of threat researchers and proprietary AI-powered engines provide unmatched threat intelligence to detect and prevent known and unknown threats. The company is headquartered in California with offices in Europe and Asia. For more information and career opportunities, visit https://www.malwarebytes.com.
Malwarebytes Media Contact:
Ashley Stewart
Director of Public and Analyst Relations
press@malwarebytes.com
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SOURCE Malwarebytes
