Women, Teens, and People of Color feel less private and safe online

NORTH CONWAY, N.H., Sept. 30, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The pandemic increased our society's dependence on technology, accelerating the rise of people accessing the internet through computers and mobile devices to perform their work and connect with family and friends, as well as obtain critical healthcare and social services. However, as a new wave of digital users become more confident on the internet, increased usage opens them up to a wide and varied exposure to scams, identity theft, and physical harm at the hands of people they meet online. 

The findings of a new research report "The Demographics of Cybercrime", released earlier this week by Malwarebytes, in partnership with Digitunity and Cybercrime Support Network, support those feelings of insecurity, especially for segments of the population that also face other social and economic barriers. Women, teens, and people of color suffered more frequent cyberattacks, more recent cyberattacks, and were more substantially stressed by the cyberattacks themselves.

"New adopters of technology are disproportionately more vulnerable to online threats and bad actors," says Scot Henley, Executive Director of Digitunity. "Through our partnership with Malwarebytes, tens of thousands of devices made available to low-income families will be loaded with robust antivirus and antimalware protection."

Digitunity works to ensure that everyone who needs a computer has one. As the individuals and families served become proficient internet users, Digitunity believes, no matter their gender, race, income level, education, or age, they deserve to feel safe and private online.

Research findings are based on a survey conducted by Savanta Inc. across the US, UK, and Germanybetween July 27 and August 9, 2021. For this study, 5,000 respondents were asked general questions around suspicious online activities. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation.

About Digitunity
Digitunity, an initiative of National Cristina Foundation, has connected corporate and individual donors of technology to thousands of partner organizations serving people in need across North America. Learn more at https://digitunity.org/

MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT:
Susan Krautbauer, Sr. Director | Strategy and Development
Digitunity
sue@digitunity.org

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SOURCE Digitunity