Most Canadians guilty of unsecured sexting
Posted February 4, 2014 10:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Have you ever sent your significant other a racy text or photo on their mobile phone?
A survey suggests the majority of adult Canadians have done it. But it seems they’re not exactly practicing safe sexting; many are sharing intimate content from an unsecured device.
Those suggestive pictures and messages meant for his or her eyes only can get a lot wider distribution online when you’re among the 35 per cent of Canadians who don’t password-protect their phones or you’re one of the 40 per cent who share their passwords.
If you lose your phone or have a vindictive ex, suddenly you (and that well-placed mole) might be recognized by strangers sporting a smirk in line at the grocery store.
The figures come from a McAfee survey which found 60 per cent of people aged 18 to 24 share sexually suggestive content using their mobile device, mostly with significant others. However, 16 per cent have sent to a complete stranger.
The online security company advises smartphone owners to use a strong password and keep it to themselves to ensure that “what should be private stays private.”
