What exactly do companies do with your personal data? If you're confused, don't worry — 47 percent of Americans are just like you, according to a new poll.
The new Pew Research Center report found that 50 percent of U.S. adults felt confident about what would be done to their personal information once they handed it over. Forty-seven percent did not, and many people admitted to feeling discouraged, confused and impatient when sharing data.
The report found some people were conflicted about sharing data, but ended up doing it anyway.
"I got a new [gaming console] and wanted access to the online store," one respondent said. "I was hesitant about sharing all the information they asked for but in the end I did sign up because I wanted access to the store."
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Other people refused to give up their data, deciding that a company was asking for too much.
"An Internet site was asking for control of my computer’s camera," said another respondent. "I refused. They would have access to my personal space."
Overall, older Americans felt less antsy when reading through privacy agreements; 35 percent of people under 50 reported feeling impatient, compared to 23 percent of those over 50 years old.
Previous reports have found that Americans feel like they have lost control over their personal information. One Pew poll, published last year, found that 91 percent of U.S. adults "agree" or "strongly agree" that "consumers have lost control over how personal information is collected and used by companies."
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