Security ranks high on internet concerns

The majority of internet users in Switzerland are worried about security when they are online, a study on the dangers of the web has found.

A survey by the Federal Statistics Office shows that three quarters of households in the country have internet access, with most concerned about risks for children, financial losses and abuse of personal data.

The statistics office said in a statement on Friday that four out of five internet users had some form of security software, mostly with automatic updates.

However, it noted that only 30 per cent of internet users living in a household with a child had software with parental control or a filter.

Four out of ten internet users did not back up or only sporadically backed up their personal information, it added.

The study found that 77 per cent of households had internet access in 2010, compared with 61 per cent in 2004.

It commented that today’s figure was not expected to rise much more because 20 per cent of households said they did not want the internet at home or did not need it.