If you are planning to break up with your partner, better change the passwords of your Facebook, email and even banking accounts – according to the findings of a new survey by McAfee.
The online survey, involving more than 1000 people in India, found that found that about 3 in 4 (74%) individuals regularly check the social media pages of their lovers, and about 72% check their partner’s emails. Surprisingly, 44% also check their bank accounts. 49% check their current partner’s Facebook pages, the survey by the anti-virus firm found.
Nearly everyone who was checking their current partner’s Facebook account, also seemed to be tracking their old lover’s Facebook account as well. In other words, 47% of the people in the survey confessed to regularly tracking their ex-lover’s Facebook activities. It was not clear whether ‘tracking’ meant that they had access to the account password, or were merely observing the page from outside.
“Sharing passwords with your partner might seem harmless, but it often puts you at risk for a ‘revenge of the ex’ situation, landing private information in a public platform for all to see. Everyone needs to be aware of the risks and take the steps to make sure their personal data is safe and secure,” says Lubna Markar, Senior Marketing Manager, McAfee India & South Asia.
According to the survey, 3 in 10 ex-partners have threatened that they would reveal the exposing photos of their ex-lover online.
The risk is higher in acrimonious break ups. The most important reason for leaking ex-lover’s information was that the ex-lover cheated. That reason was enough for leaking private stuff online for 48% of those who said they would leak such data. Of course, 41% also said that they would leak information if their partners dumped them.
38% said they would consider doing so if they caught their partner lying. In fact, 15% were ready to expose private photos of their partners if they found that the partner had posed with someone else for a picture.
The following are the other results of the 2013 Love, Relationships, and Technology survey.
86% of smartphone owners have personal and intimate information on their mobile devices, such as bank account information, passwords, credit card numbers and revealing photos, yet only 79% have password protection on their devices.
96% of Indians believe their data and revealing photos are safe in the hands of their partners. Bank account numbers (63%), health insurance ID’s (64%), email accounts (75%), and passwords (47%) have all been shared with relationship partners.
77% of adults have had their personal content leaked to others without their permission.
About half of the population has regretted sending such intimate content after a break up and 49% of people have even asked their ex-partner to delete all personal content.
53% Indians still plan to send sexy or romantic photos to their partners via email, text and social media on Valentine’s Day.
60% Mumbaiites, 51.8% Delhiites and 47% Chennai residents plan to share their sexy or romantic photos to their partners via email, text and social media on Valentine’s Day.
The online interviews were conducted from December 14 through December 30, 2012.