• by Ray Schultz , October 24, 2018

The theft of millions of email addresses in recent data breaches has contributed to a reluctance by consumers to embrace the Internet of Things (IoT), according to a study by F-Secure.

Among the early adopters who were interviewed, 74% expect to acquire home devices, but 66% have delayed such purchases because of privacy concerns. 

However, 90% are excited about IoT technology. The study found that 38% of U.S. internet users spend over four hours online per day. And 45% of early adopters do.

In addition, 22% of U.S. homes use a digital assistant such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, versus 12% of European homes. 

Meanwhile, cyber security awareness has increased, with 62% of U.S. consumers saying they now know what ransomware is, compared with 37% in 2015. 

The study also found that desktop PC use has fallen 6% since 2015, while Android use has grown by 10% and iPhone use by 9%.

“U.S. consumers are moving to connected devices by choice to enhance their lives and by necessity, given that it’s almost impossible to find a TV that isn’t considered ‘smart’ today,” states Tom Gaffney, secure operator consultant for F-Secure. “But these numbers might be even higher if consumers, especially the consumers most open to considering new technology had more confidence in the IoT.”

The study is based on consumer interviews by F-Secure. The firm has  conducted nearly 20,000 interviews in the past five years.