Belgians recycle their passwords too often, according to a study conducted among 1,000 Internet users by AXA Partners, the branch of the AXA group that designs tailor-made solutions in assistance services, travel insurance and credit protection. Some 72% of respondents use the same passwords on all websites, 29% never change them, while 30% keep theirs in a given place, “and for a quarter of our compatriots (26%), that’s precisely on their computer or on their desk,” AXA Partners noted in a press release issued ahead of Data Protection Day on Monday.

The study further shows that 72% of Belgians are concerned that their personal information is available on line, “yet the majority (59%) never read the conditions of use when they create an on-line account.” Where Facebook is concerned, 8% of respondents leave their profiles totally accessible while 18% accept friend requests from people they do not know.

“The positive note revealed by the poll is that, even if we are sometimes careless on line, we do our best to educate our children on Internet use,” added AXA Partners. Some 80% of respondents whose children are Internet users discuss their Internet behaviour with them. “The topics most frequently discussed at home are the sharing of photos on social media, the importance of protecting online privacy and the times when they are authorised to go on the Internet,” the agency said.

More generally, 66% of respondents indicated that they wished to have more tailored information to be able to protect themselves on the Internet.

Jason Bennett

The Brussels Times