Reading Privacy Policies Time-Consuming for Users, Says VPN Service Study
A recent study conducted by a popular VPN service revealed that Americans would spend nearly 47 hours each month if they were to read the privacy policies of the most visited websites. The study, conducted by NordVPN, examined the top 20 websites in 19 countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK. The researchers analyzed the number of words in the privacy policies and assessed their readability levels.
As digital privacy becomes more important and the use of security software like VPN and antivirus services increases, many users still neglect to read websites’ privacy policies before agreeing to them. According to NordVPN’s cybersecurity expert, Adrianus Warmenhoven, this lack of attention is understandable. The study found that American privacy policies contain an average of 6,938 words, which would take approximately nine hours to read. However, if users were to read the policies of the 96 websites they typically visit in a month, it would take around five working days.
While the US policies are lengthy, they are not the longest. Germany has the longest privacy policies, with an average of 10,485 words and about 44 minutes of reading time. Other countries with long policies include the UK, Italy, Poland, and France. Warmenhoven explained that the detailed nature of EU and UK digital privacy regulations contributes to the length of their policies.
The study also looked at specific companies and found that Meta’s social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram, had the longest policies with 19,434 words. Twitter, now called X, had significantly fewer words with 4,175. However, both companies scored similarly on readability tests.
The accessibility of privacy policies involves more than just length. The policies need to be easily understandable for users to make informed decisions about sharing their data. Warmenhoven emphasized the importance of clear privacy policies in building trust between businesses and customers.
Among the worst-performing companies in terms of readability were Zoom and Netflix, with Netflix having a particularly low score. This is concerning as Netflix is used by many children as well.
While data protection laws aim to give consumers more control over their online information, it can still be difficult for individuals to exercise their rights. Warmenhoven suggested a few ways users can make the process easier. First, consumers should educate themselves on digital privacy practices and be aware of “red flags” while reading privacy policies. They should also avoid websites without privacy policies and consider the relevance of the data being requested. Finally, scanning for specific keywords such as “sell/sold,” “partners/affiliates,” “may,” or “for example” can also help identify potential issues.
In conclusion, while privacy policies are important for protecting user data, the length and complexity of these policies can hinder individuals from fully exercising their rights. It is crucial for companies to make their policies more accessible and understandable to build trust with their users.
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