The Crucial Details Of Internet Safety Statistics

The Internet has been - and is currently a part of people’s daily lives. Despite this, the internet can also be a dangerous place. According to the Pew Research Center, 53% of Internet users are concerned about online safety. 

That is why Internet safety is integral to minimizing the dangers of the internet. Now, you will dig into different internet safety statistics for 2023. Look at the numbers that will help you ensure your safety in the internet world.

The Editor’s Choice

• Due to the pandemic, malware attacks increased by 358% in 2020 compared to 2019. 
• In 2022, there was over $4 million cost of a data breach caused by cybercrime in the United States alone. 
• 1 out of 5 teens confessed that they used private browsers so their parents could not monitor what sites they visited.
• 23,000 cybersecurity incidents were recorded worldwide from 2020 to 2021.
• Statista says people spend 45% of their time browsing social media.
• 12 million children can experience cyber risk in the United States.
• 98% of sex offenders get their victims online.
• Worldwide, 53% of women feel the least private online than men, with 47%.
• 33 million households paid for antivirus software for their technologies.
• 81% of parents in the United Kingdom viewed safety features as functional tools to keep their children safe online. 

How Safe is the Internet? 

Generally, the internet is a safe space for users to enjoy its features. However, as with other platforms, many people abuse this, causing internet cyber crimes and safety issues. In 2022, the (FBI) Internet Crime Report recorded 800,944 cybercrime complaints. Clear evidence that internet safety is still a problem today.

Internet browsing can lead people to different daily threats --- scams, cyberbullying, phishing, etc. It is because people have no limitations when they do something online. 

Here, you’ll look at some statistics regarding cybercrime today:

Statistics on Crimes Committed Using the Internet

In recent years, cybercrime reports have seen increased threats. Due to the pandemic, malware attacks increased by 358% in 2020 compared to 2019. That is because cybercriminals can take advantage of some businesses and individuals affected.

Perpetrators and criminals saw how they could get victims in the internet world. That is the reason why these numbers didn’t stop there. Globally, cyber attacks increased by 125% in 2021 and will continue to grow in the following years. 

What are the other statistics aside from this? Here are some of them:

1. In 2022, there was over $4 million cost of a data breach caused by cybercrime in the United States alone. 

(IBM Security, Tech Jury)

Cybercrime, just like any other crime, can cause much money loss. Companies need around $4 million to prepare and cover all expenses caused by the data breach. 

Data also shows that cybercrime costs from data breaches are rising as the years go by. In 2022, over $4.35 million in data breach costs already by cybercrime in the United States alone.  

The figure displays a 2.6% increase from $4.24 million in 2021. While in 2020, it revealed a 12.7% increase from $3.86 million.

These results represent that people’s data are not always safe on the internet - individuals and businesses are always at risk from hackers. 

2. The 23,000 cybersecurity incidents recorded worldwide from 2020 to 2021 were primarily from the finance industry.

(Gitnux, Statista)

Finance is the most targeted global industry sector of cybercrime. The 23,000 cybersecurity incidents recorded worldwide from 2020 to 2021 were primarily from the financial industry. 

Of these thousands of incidents, 2,527 was from the finance industry in 2021. The data above points out the internet's dangers, especially for businesses. 

Cybercriminals target them because of the money they can get from hacking and breaching their data. Digital technology may bring pros to their daily operations, but they should also consider its cons. 

3. Since March 2020, people have spent 45% more time on social media daily.

(Statista)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in people's social media usage statistics. Because of the lockdown, many people spent more hours using their phones to entertain themselves. According to Statista, people spent 45% of their time browsing social media during this time. 

With this, cybercriminals also spent many hours in 2020. New attack surfaces and malware activities are what the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the internet. 

Internet Crime Victim Demographics

The Internet is also where you can be a victim, regardless of age. Data showed that people aged 20 are the most resilient group, while those 30 to 39 are the most affected by cybercrimes since 2015. 

These crimes include sexual harassment, stalking, scamming, and many more. It is becoming rampant as the years go by. Due to this, the world now sees alarming numbers of internet crime victim demographics. 

This time, you will read statistics that help keep you safer. 

4. The online attack occurs to 1 out of 7 children every 39 seconds making the internet unsafe even for children. 

(Gitnux, Enough is Enough, Maywalrebytes)

Parents now consider technology to keep their children distracted. Parents can sometimes be so busy that they cannot monitor their kids’ screen activities. Due to the high increase in internet usage among children, data now reported that children and teen cybercrime victims continue to rise. 

Some of the reports you can review are the following:

• 12 million children can experience cyber risk in the United States.
• 59% of young people aged 15 to 25 have experienced bullying.
• 59% of boys and 60% of girls have experienced at least one abusive online behavior. 
• 49% of teens claim that their parents never monitor their devices.
• 1 out of 5 teens confessed that they used private browsers so their parents could not monitor what sites they visited.
• Teens usually spend over 5 hours online every day.
• About 58% of parents are concerned about their children’s internet habits.  
• 17% of teens said they had received messages that made them uncomfortable. 

These facts show that it can still be a dangerous place to let kids play without supervision. The significance of these statistics highlights the need for information about internet safety, even for minors. 

5. On average, 12% of people experience some form of harassment on the Internet.

(Gitnux, Enough is Enough)

Harassment can also occur online. Almost 12% of people have experienced some form of harassment on the internet. Other data includes:

• In 2020, 1.4 million Americans filed complaints relating to their identities. 
• 98% of sex offenders get their victims online. 
• 1 out of 5 Americans received different forms of harassment on the Internet. 
• Last 2021, data predicted that there were 2.5 billion cybercrime victims. 
• Older adults aged 65 (38%) contacted customer support more than younger generations aged 18 to 25 for internet problems (18%).

Results like these indicate that anyone can be a victim of harassment, whether offline or online. Harassers can find their victims whenever and wherever they want to. They maximize every platform and tool to harass someone. 

6. In 2017, more than 978 million people in 20 countries were victims of cybercrime.

(Gitnux, Enough is Enough, Guardchild, Emisoft)

Criminals attack all races from different countries. In 2017, there were already 978 million cybercrime victims reported. The reports show it has only less than 30 million and is already nearly 1 billion people. 

Other countries also reported these statistics:

• In 2021, there are $623.7 million lost in U.S. ransomware attacks.
• Asian organizations gathered 26% of the cyber attacks worldwide in 2021. They are recorded as the top continent to experience the most attacks that year.

The numbers exhibit that any country has both cybercriminals and cyber victims. These statistics will grow and reach billions of reports without considering cybersecurity measures. 

7. Worldwide, 53% of women feel the least private online than men, with 47%.

(Malwarebytes)

Being online can risk your data from leaks and will cause an invasion of privacy. According to the data, women feel less secure online than most men worldwide. 

Women are vulnerable to sexual harassment and crimes than men. Experiences like misogynist remarks, sexism, and other perverted interactions are what women experience online. 

Some of the numbers supporting this statement are:

• There are 9% more women (46%) who hacked accounts than men (37%).
• Only 26% of women feel that their information and private, while there are 32% in men. 
• White females age 35 to 54 are typically the victims of identity theft. 

Factors such as lack of digital literacy and cyber defense strategies can be why this happens most of the time. Learning these things may reduce the number of data privacy hacks on women and men. 

Internet Safety Trends

Despite these negative numbers from the internet, some people now practice safety measures to keep them safe. Many already know the advantages of other safety tools such as anti-virus, VPNs, firewalls, and password managers. These strategies are helpful for them to avoid data breaches, invasion of privacy, malware, and other cybercrimes.  

This part will give you statistics on internet safety statistics. Below are some of the numbers related to this:

8. About 33 million households paid for anti-virus software for their technologies.

(Security.org)

Anti-virus is one of the most popular tools to protect your computers or gadgets. This tool can alert them if something suspicious happens on their devices. Due to these features, 33 million households trusted anti-virus software for their technologies. 

Other than that, these are also the data that will convince you to install an anti-virus to keep you safe online or offline:

• In the  U.S., an estimated 3 in every 4 Americans believe computers should have anti-virus.
• About 85% of American adults utilize the benefits of anti-virus for their computers. 
• From the reports, anti-virus is usually installed on people’s personal computers, with 85% in the results. Mobile phones got 24%, and tablets had 17%. 

Considering the increasing number of cybercrimes, people now think of a way how to protect themselves. From the statistics above, anti-virus is a trusted tool by most internet users. 

9. 81% of parents in the United Kingdom viewed safety features as functional tools to keep their children safe online. 

(Internet Matters)

Unlike adults, children can’t easily detect whether what they see online may cause harm. This is why children are the most vulnerable victims of cybercrimes -  resulting in 81% of parents viewing safety features as functional tools that will keep their kids safe online. 

This percentage stated that parents are now acting to keep their children safer using the internet. If cybercrimes involving children continue, parents worldwide will adopt different preventive measures to protect their kids. 

10. A Survey found that over ⅔ of adults are cautious about their data privacy. 

(Norton LifeLock)

Many people fear the invasion of privacy to happen to them, especially adults. Data leaks for them mean an attack on their profession, bank accounts, and other essential information.

According to Norton Lifelock, over ⅔ of adults are cautious about their data. These results lead them to practice safety measures such as:

• Changed default privacy settings - 26%
• Enabled multi-factor authentication - 26%
• Disabled third-party cookies - 26%
• Utilized VPN - 16%.

These percentages represent the gradual increase in adults being cautious because of increased cybercrime. 

Final Thoughts

The statistics on internet safety are both eye-opening and alarming. With the ever-increasing reliance on technology today, taking steps is more crucial than ever. These steps are to protect ourselves from the internet's dangers. Indeed, the risks are numerous and varied. 

It’s essential to equip yourself with some knowledge of the importance of safe online behavior. That includes being cautious whenever you use it. 

It is up to people to take responsibility for their online safety. Let these statistics guide you to be more informed about internet use. You can also create a safer and more secure online environment by staying active and vigilant.