A US study by researchers at UC Berkeley and the University of Pennsylvania suggests that, contrary to popular opinion, young adults are concerned about online privacy and have similar views about social networking to those of their elders.
The research took the form of a phone survey of 1,000 Americans aged 18 and older in June and July 2009.
"The data show that they and older adults are more alike on privacy topics than they are different", the researchers said. "The most outrageous, most incorrigible teenagers have become a symbol for all young people. But it's not an accurate observation of how the average young person is acting."
In one example, the study revealed that 84% of those aged 18 to 24 thought that their permission should be sought before someone uploaded a photo or video of them. This compares with 88% for people older than 45 asked the same question.
In another question, the researchers asked whether an individual had refused to provide information to a company because they thought it was too personal or unneccesary. The research showed that 82% of 18-24 year olds and 84% of of 25 to 34 year olds had done so. The similarity is striking.
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