I.

Background and Objectives

On behalf of Lawyers.com, Ogilvy PR conducted a survey to better understand Americans’

attitudes and behaviors toward sharing their personal information on social networks (e.g.,
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.).

II. Methodology

An online survey was conducted using the field services of TNS. The study reached a
national sample of 1,000 American adults ages 18 and older. The margin of error for the
total sample is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence level. This means that if we were to replicate
the study, we would expect to get the same results (within 3.1 percentage points) 95 times
out of 100.

III.Media Highlights

How much is too much?

More than half of Americans who use social networking sites have seen people divulge too
much personal information online. In fact, the majority of Americans that use social
networking sites admit that they’ve posted their first and last name (69%), photos of
themselves (67%), or an email address (51%) on a social networking site.
Sixteen percent of survey respondents have shared travel plans, seven percent have
shared cell phone numbers, and 4 percent have even shared home addresses on a
social networking site.
Nearly half of Americans (46%) agree that sometimes it is hard to figure out what
information to share and what to keep private.
Four in ten Americans (40%) think it is alright for managers to monitor their
employees’ personal tweets and Facebook pages, and that same amount of
Americans who use social networking sites believe that losing their job because of
information they’ve posted on a social networking site could happen to them. Yet,
over half of Americans (53%) agree that inappropriate comments or posts on social
networking sites should not affect someone’s employment.

Privacy Fears
Even though the majority of Americans who use social networking sites say they’ve taken
actions to protect their privacy on social networking sites (91%), four in ten Americans who
use these sites (43%) admit that they typically just click “agree” without reading the entire
terms & conditions on social networking sites. In addition:
Three-quarters of Americans (76%) report that they worry that the privacy settings
on social networking sites are not adequately protecting their personal information
More than four in ten Americans (44%) are concerned that the personal information
they share online is being used against them.
One in five Americans who use social networking sites (21%) believe that their
personal information (e.g., email address, phone number, etc.) has been accessed
by people who take advantage of weak privacy settings on social networking sites
like Facebook and Twitter.

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IV. Detailed Findings

The majority of Americans use social networking sites and share personal
information about themselves on these sites, including their full name, email
address, and pictures of themselves.

o Over two-thirds of Americans (68%) report using social networking sites, with the
most popular site being Facebook (62%).

By far, Facebook is the most popular social

networking site among Americans

At least one of these NET 68%

Facebook 62%
MySpace 12%

Twitter 11%
LinkedIn 11%
Classmates 6%
Meetup 2%
Total
Friendster 1% Americans

Hi5 1%
Other 3%
I do not use social networking sites 32%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q1. Which, if any, of the following social networking sites do you use?

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o The majority of Americans that use social networking sites admit that they’ve posted
their first and last name (69%), photos of themselves (67%), or their email address
(51%) on a social networking site.

o A full four in ten Americans (41%) report that they’ve posted their birthdate with
year on a social networking site.

o Other information that Americans have posted on a social networking site include:
- Personal website (8%)
- Cell phone number (7%)
- Home address (4%)
- Home phone number (4%)
- Employer address (2%)
- Work phone number (1%)

Nearly all Americans who use social networking sites

have posted personal information about themselves

At least one of these NET 88%

First and last name 69%
Photos of yourself 67%
Email address 51%
Birthdate with year 41%
Personal website 8%
Cell phone number 7%
Home address 4%
Home phone number 4% Americans who use
social networking
Employer address 2% sites
Work phone number 1%
Other 1%
None of these 12%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q2. Which, if any, of the following information have you posted on a social networking site?

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In fact, Americans report several consequences as a result of sharing
information on social networking sites, with nearly one in ten having their
personal relationships affected.

o Nearly all Americans (94%) agree that at times, people divulge too much information
about themselves on social networking sites, with two-thirds strongly agreeing to
this statement (66%).

o Although nearly half of Americans (46%) agree that sometimes it is hard to figure
out what information to share and what to keep private, many Americans (38%)
agree that people who share too much of their personal information online deserve
to have their information used inappropriately.

Many Americans believe people who share personal

details online deserve the repercussions

% Agree
(Strongly/Somewhat)

At times, people divulge

too much information about
themselves on social
94%
networking sites

Sometimes it is hard to
figure out what information
to share and what to keep 46%
private

Total
People who share too Americans
much of their personal
information online deserve 38%
to have their information
used inappropriately

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q9/Q18/Q20. Please read the following statements and indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree, or strongly disagree with each statement.

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o Over half of Americans who use social networking sites (50%) report that they’ve
seen people divulge too much personal information.

o A full quarter of Americans who use social networking sites (25%) say that they’ve
seen people “misrepresent” themselves (e.g., posted incorrect information, created
fake profiles, etc.).

o Other situations that Americans who use social networking sites report experiencing
include:
- Shared information about their travel plans (16%)
- Had someone post unflattering pictures of them (11%)
- Had personal relationships with family or friends affected from revealing too
much information (7%)
- Been scolded or yelled at for information that they’ve posted (6%)

Nearly one in ten have had personal relationships with

loved ones negatively affected by social networking sites

At least one of these NET 63%

Seen people divulge too much personal information 50%

Seen people "misrepresent" themselves (e.g., posted
incorrect information, created fake profiles, etc.) 25%

Shared information about your travel plans 16%

Had someone post unflattering pictures of you 11%

Had personal relationships with family or friends affected
from revealing too much information 7%
Americans who use
Been scolded or yelled at for information that you've social networking
posted
6% sites
Shared information about your company and/or its
employees
4%

None of these 37%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q3. Which, if any, of the following situations have you ever experienced using social networking sites?

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o Over a quarter of Americans who use social networking sites (28%) report negative
consequences, including receiving spam (14%), a computer virus (7%), or
spyware/malware (5%) as a result of sharing information on a social networking site.

o Alarmingly, one in ten Americans (14%) who use social networking sites say that
they’ve received communication from strangers as a result of sharing information on
a social networking site.

Top consequences from sharing information on social networking

sites include spam and unwanted contact from strangers

At least one of these NET 28%

Received spam 14%

Communication with strangers 14%

Received a computer virus 7%

Received spyware or malware 5% Americans who use

social networking
Received a warning at work 1% sites

Identity theft 1%

Threatened with a lawsuit 0%

Fired from your company 0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q4. Which, if any, of the following has ever happened to you as a result of sharing information on a social networking site?

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Despite having experienced negative effects of posting personal information on
social networking sites, Americans admit that they seldom think about the
consequences of sharing personal information online.
o Over a quarter of Americans who use social networking sites (28%) admit that they
rarely think about what could happen if they shared too much personal information
online.

Many Americans don’t think about the consequences of

sharing personal information online

% Agree
(Strongly/Somewhat)

I rarely think about

what could happen
if I shared too 28%
Americans who
much personal use social
information online networking sites

0% 20% 40% 60%

Q11. Please read the following statements and indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or
strongly disagree with each statement.

o In addition, 40 percent of Americans who use social networking sites believe that
losing their job because of information they’ve posted on a social networking site
(e.g., Facebook, Twitter) could happen to them.

Many Americans believe that losing their job over posts

on social networking sites could happen to them

% Disagree
(Strongly/Somewhat)

Losing my job
because of
information I've
posted on a social
networking site 40% Americans who
(e.g., Facebook, use social
Twitter) could networking sites
never happen to
me

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Q16. Please read the following statements and indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or
strongly disagree with each statement.

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Although Americans have taken some steps to protect their privacy on social
networking sites, many still remain lax when it comes to regularly updating
their privacy settings.

o Three-quarters of Americans (76%) report that they worry that the privacy settings
on social networking sites are not adequately protecting their personal information.

o Four in ten Americans (44%) report that they are concerned that the personal
information they share online is being used against them.

Americans report some concern over adequate

protection of their personal information online

% Agree
(Strongly/Somewhat)

I worry that the

privacy settings on
social networking
sites are not 76%
adequately
protecting my
personal information

I am concerned that Total

the personal Americans
information I share 44%
online is being used
against me

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q10/Q17. Please read the following statements and indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree, or strongly disagree with each statement.

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o The majority of Americans who use social networking sites say they’ve taken actions
to protect their privacy on social networking sites (91%), with the top action being
limiting the information they put up on their page or profile (73%).

o Six in ten Americans report that they have restricted strangers from viewing certain
information (61%), restricted access to their page or profile (59%), or changed or
customized privacy settings (58%).

o Many Americans also limit the amount of information they post on their friends’
pages (53%), delete unwanted comments (38%), or remove unwanted photos or
images (25%).

The majority of Americans have taken steps to

protecting their privacy on social networking sites

At least one of these NET 91%

Limit the information you put up on your page or profile 73%

Restrict strangers from viewing certain information 61%

Restrict access to your page or profile 59%

Change or customize privacy settings 58%

Limit the amount of information you post on your friends'
53%
pages

Delete unwanted comments 38% Americans who use

social networking
Remove unwanted photos or images 25% sites

Other 1%

None of these 9%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q6. Which, if any, of the following actions have you taken to protect your privacy on social networking sites?

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o Six in ten Americans that use social networking sites report that they update their
privacy settings on the social networking sites that they use once a month or less
often (61%), with one in five saying that they never update their privacy settings
(21%).

o Only 39% of Americans that use social networking sites say that they update their
privacy setting frequently (once a month or more often).

One in five Americans never update their privacy

settings on the social networking sites that they use

Daily 5%

A few times a week 4%

Once a month or
Once a week 4% more often NET:
39%

A few times a month 10%

Once a month 16%

Americans who
A few times a year 28% use social
networking sites
Once a year 9% Less often than
once a month NET:
61%
Once every couple of years 3%

Never 21%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Q5. In general, how often do you update your privacy settings on the social networking sites that you use?

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o Further, four in ten Americans who use social networking sites (43%) admit that
they typically just click “agree” without reading the entire terms & conditions on
social networking sites.

Many Americans just click “agree” without reading

the full terms & conditions

Not sure, 7% Yes, 43%

Base: Americans
who use social
networking sites

No, 50%

Q8. Do you typically just click “agree” without reading the entire terms & conditions on social networking sites?

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Alarmingly, many believe that their personal information may have already
been retrieved.

o One in five Americans who use social networking sites (21%) believe that their
personal information (e.g., email address, phone number, etc.) has been accessed
by people who take advantage of weak privacy settings on social networking sites
like Facebook and Twitter.

o Four in ten Americans who use social networking sites (39%) admit that they are not
sure if their personal information (e.g., email address, phone number, etc.) has been
accessed by people who take advantage of weak privacy settings on social
networking sites like Facebook and Twitter.

One in five Americans believe their personal

information has already been exploited

Yes, 21%
Not sure, 39%

Base: Americans
who use social
networking sites

No, 40%

Q7. Do you believe that your personal information (e.g., email address, phone number, etc.) has ever been accessed by
people who take advantage of weak privacy settings on social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter?

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Social Networking Sites & The Workplace

Americans think it’s acceptable for managers to read employees’ personal

tweets and Facebook pages but don’t believe it should affect their employment.

o Although four in ten Americans (40%) agree that it is alright for managers to
monitor their employees’ personal tweets and Facebook pages, many (44%) admit
that they would feel uncomfortable having their manager read their personal tweets
or Facebook page.

o Still, over half of Americans (53%) agree that inappropriate comments or posts on
social networking sites should not affect someone’s employment.

Four in ten Americans think it’s okay for managers to

read employees’ personal tweets and Facebook pages
% Agree
(Strongly/Somewhat)

Inappropriate comments
or posts on social
networking sites should 53%
not affect someone’s
employment

I would feel
uncomfortable having my
manager read my 44%
personal tweets or
Facebook page Total
Americans
It is all right for managers
to monitor their
employees’ personal 40%
tweets and Facebook
pages

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Q13 - Q15. Please read the following statements and indicate whether you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat
disagree, or strongly disagree with each statement.

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