• by Larissa Faw , January 9, 2014

Although it may seem as if Americans are hopelessly divided, there is one matter where they find universal agreement: Self-photographed images, otherwise known as “selfies,” are “uncool.”

Some 77% of those over age 35 and half of millennials believe frequently posting selfies to the Internet is not cool, according to ad agency McCann Worldgroup's latest "Truth About Privacy" study.

Per the study, today's Internet etiquette is centered on avoiding four B words: bullying, boasting, begging, and boring others. That is the best way to stay on the right side of generally accepted behaviors, it asserts.

For example, 63% say posting daily clothing choices on a fashion blog is uncool (boasting). Some 66% think posting status updates on Facebook is uncool (boring). And only one in three believes checking in via Foursquare is cool (boasting). 

Also, having numerous friends via a social network is now seen as a negative, since it looks like a person is begging to gain popularity. As such, a majority of Americans think it's uncool to ask or accept friend requests from people you don't know on LinkedIn (73%) and Facebook (72%).

Bullying can be classified in two ways: A growing number of Internet users are migrating to apps and platforms, such as Snapchat, that don't collect or save their personal information. That’s to prevent users from being bullied or ridiculed for posting personal information. At the same time, users say it's inappropriate for brands to take advantage of them. Two in three say it's uncool for brands to use their own social media posts or content without their permission. 

Privacy remains the greatest concern to Americans when it comes to their online activities. Their top fear is that the government will use their personal data against them in some manner. Silicon Valley companies, including Facebook and Google, are perceived to be the biggest threats to their privacy and are least trusted with their data.

Conversely, banks are viewed as most trustworthy when it comes to protecting American's personal information.