Emily A. Vogels and Monica Anderson, Pew Research Center; Americans and Digital Knowledge
A majority of U.S. adults can answer fewer than
half the questions correctly on a digital knowledge quiz, and many
struggle with certain cybersecurity and privacy questions
"A new Pew Research Center survey finds that Americans’ understanding
of technology-related issues varies greatly depending on the topic, term
or concept. While a majority of U.S. adults can correctly answer
questions about phishing scams or website cookies, other items are more
challenging. For example, just 28% of adults can identify an example of
two-factor authentication – one of the most important ways
experts say people can protect their personal information on sensitive
accounts. Additionally, about one-quarter of Americans (24%) know that
private browsing only hides browser history from other users of that
computer, while roughly half (49%) say they are unsure what private
browsing does.
This survey consisted of 10 questions designed to test Americans’
knowledge of a range of digital topics, such as cybersecurity or the
business side of social media companies. The median number of correct
answers was four. Only 20% of adults answered seven or more questions
correctly, and just 2% got all 10 questions correct."
