People are already changing the way they act online

Apr 4, 2014 12:10 GMT  ·  By

The NSA’s mass surveillance practices are affecting American companies, the country’s diplomatic relationships, overall trust in American online products and the security of these products as well.

Now, a new Harris poll confirms that the NSA spying is taking its toll on the habits of online citizens and on commerce.

“When it comes to specific Internet activities, such as email or online banking, this change in behavior translates into a worrying trend for the online economy: over one quarter of respondents (26%) said that, based on what they have learned about secret government surveillance, they are now doing less banking online and less online shopping. This shift in behavior is not good news for companies that rely on sustained or increased use of the Internet for their business model,” the report reads.

This means that it’s not just the tech industry that’s taking a hit because of the NSA surveillance, but also those businesses that sell their merchandise online.

47 percent of those who have responded to the survey from ESET have changed their online behavior and think twice before visiting a certain site, and are careful about what they do and say. Perhaps the most worrying trend is the drop in online activity from users in the age group of 18 to 34. 24 percent of people are less inclined to send emails.

The study also shows that despite what many believe, the Snowden files are being followed by more than those obsessed with security. The revelations, after all, have covered a lot of topics that impact the lives of millions of people.

The survey reveals that 85 percent of adult Americans are at least somewhat familiar with the liberties that the NSA is taking with their freedoms, whether that is by scanning their emails, checking out their online activity habits or their phone calls.

That’s a jump from the previous reports that indicated that mostly people under the age of 35 were paying attention to the Snowden revelations.

People continue to be convinced, however, in a 57 percent share, that the NSA and its surveillance tactics help fight terrorism. On the other hand, several studies so far have indicated that the phone call metadata program at least has done nothing to aid this goal.

The Obama administration is preparing to implement some new ground rules for the NSA, but most fear that nothing will actually change when it comes to protecting the online privacy of users.