What We Say vs What We Do
Side-by-side proof that we're all full of shit about privacy. Every number is sourced. You're welcome.
Privacy Concern
What we say
81% say the risks of data collection by companies outweigh the benefits
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
56% always or often agree to privacy policies without reading them
Pew Research, 2023
Terms of Service
What we say
67% say they understand little to nothing about what companies do with their data
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
91% of consumers accept terms and conditions without reading them
Deloitte Global Mobile Consumer Survey, 2017
Social Media
What we say
77% have little to no confidence in social media executives to handle user data responsibly
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
Average person spends 2h 21m/day on social media
DataReportal, 2025
Smart Devices
What we say
52% of voice assistant users worry their personal data isn't secure
Microsoft Voice Report, 2019
What we actually do
35% of Americans now own a smart speaker
Edison Research, 2024
Location Tracking
What we say
72% feel that all or most of what they do online is tracked by companies
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
Only 34% have ever changed their phone's default location-sharing settings
Pew Research, 2023
Password Security
What we say
69% of Americans grade themselves an A or B on online security
Google/Harris Poll, 2019
What we actually do
65% reuse passwords across multiple sites
Google/Ipsos Poll, 2022
Free Services
What we say
73% say they should do more to protect their online privacy
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
Average smartphone user has 80+ apps installed
data.ai (formerly App Annie), 2024
Data Breaches
What we say
34% of Americans experienced a data breach in the past year
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
Only 1 in 3 changed passwords after receiving a breach notification
Carnegie Mellon / IEEE S&P Study, 2020
Loyalty Programs
What we say
61% uncomfortable with purchase tracking
Accenture Survey
What we actually do
90% of consumers belong to at least one loyalty program
Bond Loyalty Report
VPN Usage
What we say
81% say the risks of company data collection outweigh benefits
Pew Research, 2023
What we actually do
Only 32% of Americans use a VPN
Security.org, 2025
The gap between what we say and what we do has never been wider.
We know what we should do. We just... don't. And every company on earth is counting on that.
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Accept All Cookies
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The Convenience Trap
Would you choose privacy if you had it? Or is the tracking making you stupider and you just don't mind? A philosophical argument. Hacker perspective. Orwell. Fully sourced.