---
title: "Seniors, Youth & Privacy"
description: "New analysis of our data & others indicates that younger people are more likely to take action to prevent identity fraud & spyware."
date: "2006-03-10"
authors:
  - name: "Susannah Fox"
    job_title: "Former Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/susannah-fox/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2006/03/10/seniors-youth-privacy-2/"
categories:
  - "Older Adults & Aging"
  - "Online Privacy & Security"
  - "Privacy Rights"
  - "Social Media"
  - "Teens & Tech"
  - "Teens & Youth"
---

# Seniors, Youth & Privacy

Internet users in their 20s are more likely than those in their 50s to take action to avoid software intrusions like viruses, adware, and spyware. In addition, new analysis of data provided by the AARP shows that younger people (age 45-54) are more likely than Americans age 65+ to take action to avoid identity fraud.

I presented these [findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/PPF/r/61/presentation_display.asp) at the International Association of Privacy Professionals meeting here in DC yesterday. Chris Kelly, Chief Privacy Officer of [Facebook](http://www.facebook.com/), was also on the panel, which was quite timely since USA Today had a [story](http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/internetprivacy/2006-03-08-athletes-websites_x.htm) about athletes' use of the social networking site in the paper that day. He talked about how most students don't think about how widely their personal information might be distributed and therefore are sometimes surprised when administrators (like [Public Safety at Princeton University](http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/archives/2006/03/09/news/14802.shtml)) use Facebook to enforce campus rules. He said that about 20% of users have changed their privacy settings.