Norton Mobile Apps Survey Report

Norton Mobile Apps Survey Report
December 2014

An alarming percentage of apps collect and send personally identifiable information (PII) to app developers. Newly released Symantec research indicates that most consumers worry about these types of mobile app security and privacy risks. However, the findings suggest consumers are their own worst enemies when it comes to mobile privacy.
Symantec surveyed consumers around the globe to gauge perceptions toward mobile privacy against the realities of today’s connected world.
Copyright © 2014 Symantec Corporation
2

Global Survey Methodology
3
DE
App users: 62%
N=617
ME=+/- 3.9%
ES
App users: 80%
N=828
ME=+/- 3.3%
IT
App users: 78%
N=777
ME=+/- 3.4%
UK
App users: 66%
N=684
ME=+/- 3.7%
US
App users: 66%
N=662
ME=+/- 3.7%
CA
App users: 65%
N=685
ME=+/- 3.7%
BR
App users: 80%
N=807
ME=+/- 3.4%
AU
App users: 66%
N=695
ME=+/- 3.7%
JP
App users: 53%
N=536
ME=+/- 4.2%
EMEA
AMER
APAC
A quantitative online omnibus survey was conducted online among a total of 6,291 smartphone users in the following regions during October 6-17, 2014:
Overall margin of error=+/- 1.02% (for gender comparisons ME=1.6% and for age comparisons ME=+/- 1.8- 2.6%)

•Many consumers worry device and data security but, ironically, most are willing to allow apps access to personal information.
•Most app users are unaware of the privacy tradeoffs that come with access to popular apps, like gaming and entertainment
•App users think they understand what they agree to when downloading the app, but in reality have little understanding of common app permission practices and behaviors
Top Global Survey Findings

Top Global Survey Findings: In Detail
Many consumers worry about their device and data security but, ironically, most are willing to allow apps access to personal information
Thirty-seven percent (or nearly two in five) consumers do not worry at all about getting a virus on their smartphone
Those who worry about getting a virus or malware on their smartphone are more likely to worry about apps sharing their personal information (43 percent) than those who do not worry about getting a virus or malware (37 percent)
Yet 68 percent of people will willingly trade their privacy for a free app.

Thirty-seven percent of consumers (or nearly two in five) do not worry about getting a virus or malware on their mobile phone
6
63%
37%
Yes, I'm worried about getting a virus
or malware on my smartphone.
No, I'm not worried about getting a
virus or malware on my smartphone.

Those who worry about getting a virus or malware are more likely to worry about apps sharing their personal information than those who don’t worry about getting a virus or malware
7
74%
71%
54%
49%
33%
12%
7%
64%
69%
41%
45%
30%
7%
4%
User names and
passwords
Banking or
financial
information
Personal
photos/videos
Contact
information
Location data
Calendar
appointments
Fitness/health
information
Worried about
virus/malware
Not worried about
virus/malware

Yet 68 percent of people will willingly trade their privacy for a free app
8
36%
17%
15%
Allow the app to know your
location
Allow access to your contacts
Allows access to your photos

Most app users are unaware of the privacy tradeoffs that come with access to popular apps, like gaming and entertainment
Ninety-four of consumers aren’t worried about apps sharing their fitness and health data while health and fitness apps frequently exhibit risky behaviors, like sharing demographic profiles, wellness information and daily habits.
Seventy percent of respondents report being most worried about securing financial information and passwords/usernames, while Norton Mobile Insight findings show that these are some of the most protected data classes on smartphones.
Our survey indicates the most enjoyable app activities include playing games (55 percent), listening to music (41 percent) and watching videos (41 percent), while Norton Mobile Insight Data findings indicate these types of apps come with the highest incidence and severity of privacy infringements.
Conversely, more than 1/3 of global respondents would readily give up their physical location details for a free app.

Ninety-four percent of consumers aren’t worried about apps sharing their fitness and health data while health and fitness apps frequently exhibit risky behaviors.
10
70%
70%
49%
48%
32%
10%
6%
4%
Banking or
financial
information
User names and
passwords
Personal
photos/videos
Contact
information
Location data
Calendar
appointments
Fitness/health
information
None of the
above

Our survey indicates the most enjoyable app activities include playing games, listening to music and watching videos. According to Norton Mobile Insight*, these types of apps come with the highest incidence and severity of privacy infringements.
11
59%
55%
50%
47%
41%
23%
19%
15%
8%

Seventy percent of respondents report being most worried about securing financial information while Norton Mobile Insight* findings show that these are some of the most protected data classes on smartphones.
12
70%
70%
49%
48%
32%
10%
6%
4%
Banking or
financial
information
User names and
passwords
Personal
photos/videos
Contact
information
Location data
Calendar
appointments
Fitness/health
information
None of the
above

App users think they understand what they agree to when downloading the app, but in reality have little understanding of common app permission practices and behaviors.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents do not realize that a free app could drain their battery while many free entertainment and gaming apps take a significant toll on battery use.
Over half of respondents globally are unaware that apps could track their physical location while 22 percent of apps scanned by Norton Mobile Insight track this information.
Sixty-five percent of respondents do not realize that apps place notification bar ads while 20 percent of apps scanned by Norton Mobile Insight place these types of ads on mobile devices
Despite this obvious misunderstanding of common app practices, only 24 percent of consumers admit they don’t really know what they agree to when downloading an app.

Seventy-seven percent of consumers don’t realize a free app could drain their battery. Over half of respondents are unaware that apps track physical locations. Sixty-five percent don’t realize apps place notification bar adds.
14
46%
35%
27%
23%
23%
18%
15%
24%
Providing your
location
Allowing
notification bar
ads
Access to your
personal
information and
photos
Allowsing
access to my
phone's camera
and microphone
Unlimited
battery usage
Unlimited data
plan use
Modifying your
web browser
bookmarks
I am not aware
of any of these

Despite this obvious misunderstanding of common app practices, only 24 percent of consumers admit they don’t really know what they agree to when downloading an app
15
People over age 55 seem to be more self-aware. This group is most likely to admit to not knowing how an app can impact their smartphone.
Conversely, millennials (age 18 to 34) are more likely to assert that they know what information they share, but score equally low in actual knowledge.

APPENDIX
Detailed findings US, Canada

Base: Total Respondents (n=6,291)
Q1 Do you own a smartphone or tablet, and have you downloaded an app in the past three months?
OWN SMARTPHONE (% Total)
97%
3%
96%
4%
Yes, I own a smartphone or tablet, and I
have downloaded an app in the past
three months.
No, I do not own a smartphone or
tablet, but I have downloaded an app in
the past three months.
Total
Few download any apps without owning a personal smartphone or tablet device

Q2 What are the top 3 most enjoyable activities for which you use mobile apps (Please select three)?
MOST ENJOYABLE MOBILE ACTIVITIES (% Total)
59%
55%
50%
47%
41%
23%
19%
15%
8%
6%
58%
55%
55%
38%
41%
25%
18%
16%
10%
8%
Socialize with family and friends
Play Games
Listen to music
Catch up on the news
Watch Videos
Read books
Personalize my texts or device home in text messages and email
Track my fitness and health information
Listen to podcasts
Other
Total
US
Socializing, playing games, and listening to music are the top most enjoyable activities in US

Q3 Are you worried about getting a virus or malware on your smartphone??
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT A VIRUS? (% Total)
63%
37%
45%
55%
Yes, I'm worried about getting a virus or malware on my
smartphone.
No, I'm not worried about getting a virus or malware on my
smartphone.
Total
US
1 in 2 Americans don’t worry about getting a virus on their smartphone

Q4 Which kinds of personal information are you most worried about being shared, sold, or passed on by the mobile apps that you use? (select only the top three categories you worry about the most)?
INFORMATION MOST WORRIED ABOUT (% Total)
70%
70%
49%
48%
32%
10%
6%
4%
71%
71%
40%
54%
32%
11%
7%
5%
Banking or
financial
information
User names and
passwords
Personal
photos/videos
Contact
information
Location data
Calendar
appointments
Fitness/health
information
None of the
above
Total
US
Financial and password information are seen as the most sensitive types of information that could be shared out. US users worry less than average about personal photos or videos

Q5 To use an app for free would you be willing to ….? (Choose all that apply))
To use an app for free, would you be willing to…(% Total)
36%
30%
17%
16%
16%
15%
34%
37%
24%
18%
18%
16%
18%
38%
Allow the app to
know your
location
Use-up more of
your battery
Allow access to
your contacts
Allows access to
your fitness or
health
information
Allow the app to
control how much
data it uses from
your plan
Allows access to
your photos
None of the above
Total
US
Over 1/3 of Americans will readily give up their location information for a free app. Still, just as many will not give up any of the information

Q6 When you download a mobile app, which of the following do you know you are agreeing to: (Choose all that apply)
When you download the app, which of the following do you know you are agreeing to…
(% Total)
46%
35%
27%
23%
23%
18%
15%
24%
50%
36%
30%
29%
23%
22%
20%
24%
Providing your
location
Allowing
notification bar
ads
Access to your
personal
information and
photos
Allowsing access
to my phone's
camera and
microphone
Unlimited battery
usage
Unlimited data
plan use
Modifying your
web browser
bookmarks
I am not aware of
any of these
Total
Americans are more uninformed than an average person in terms understanding permissions in app downloading terms

Q1 Do you own a smartphone or tablet, and have you downloaded an app in the past three months?
OWN SMARTPHONE (% Total)
97%
3%
96%
4%
Yes, I own a smartphone or tablet, and I
have downloaded an app in the past
three months.
No, I do not own a smartphone or
tablet, but I have downloaded an app in
the past three months.
Total
CAN
Few download any apps without owning a personal smartphone or tablet device

Q2 What are the top 3 most enjoyable activities for which you use mobile apps (Please select three)?
MOST ENJOYABLE MOBILE ACTIVITIES (% Total)
59%
55%
50%
47%
41%
23%
19%
15%
8%
6%
60%
65%
49%
39%
37%
21%
20%
18%
7%
7%
Socialize with family and friends
Play Games
Listen to music
Catch up on the news
Watch Videos
Read books
Personalize my texts or device home in text messages and email
Track my fitness and health information
Listen to podcasts
Other
Total
CAN
Canadians especially enjoy playing games, as well as socializing

Q3 Are you worried about getting a virus or malware on your smartphone??
ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT A VIRUS? (% Total)
63%
37%
42%
58%
Yes, I'm worried about getting a virus or malware on my
smartphone.
No, I'm not worried about getting a virus or malware on my
smartphone.
Total
CAN
Most Canadians aren’t worried about getting a virus on their smartphone

Q4 Which kinds of personal information are you most worried about being shared, sold, or passed on by the mobile apps that you use? (select only the top three categories you worry about the most)?
INFORMATION MOST WORRIED ABOUT (% Total)
70%
70%
49%
48%
32%
10%
6%
4%
77%
69%
42%
53%
31%
8%
6%
4%
Banking or
financial
information
User names and
passwords
Personal
photos/videos
Contact
information
Location data
Calendar
appointments
Fitness/health
information
None of the
above
Total
Canadians worry most about financial information, as well as passwords and user names being shared out. They worry less about personal photos/videos than the average

Q5 To use an app for free would you be willing to ….? (Choose all that apply))
To use an app for free, would you be willing to…(% Total)
36%
30%
17%
16%
16%
15%
34%
32%
24%
12%
14%
11%
15%
45%
Allow the app to
know your
location
Use-up more of
your battery
Allow access to
your contacts
Allows access to
your fitness or
health
information
Allow the app to
control how much
data it uses from
your plan
Allows access to
your photos
None of the above
Total
CAN
Over 1/3 of Canadians will readily give up their location information for a free app. Still, many more will not give up any information

Q6 When you download a mobile app, which of the following do you know you are agreeing to: (Choose all that apply)
When you download the app, which of the following do you know you are agreeing to…
(% Total)
46%
35%
27%
23%
23%
18%
15%
24%
47%
35%
27%
28%
22%
19%
15%
28%
Providing your
location
Allowing
notification bar
ads
Access to your
personal
information and
photos
Allowsing access
to my phone's
camera and
microphone
Unlimited battery
usage
Unlimited data
plan use
Modifying your
web browser
bookmarks
I am not aware of
any of these
Total
CAN
Most Canadians have little idea of what they are actually agreeing to when agreeing to app downloading terms and 28% admit to not knowing

Norton Mobile Apps Survey Report

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