Since 2015, the LINC (CNIL's Digital Innovation Laboratory) has been publishing the results of its study on digital practices and personal data control, conducted with Médiamétrie.
Individuals' practices related to privacy and personal data protection have been on the rise for the past 5 years. These practices are now well established.
Internet users are always very attentive in their navigation
The vast majority of French people (84%) set the web browser they use - this rate was 77% in 2015 and 85% in 2018.
"This particularly high figure," point out the LINC experts, "shows that it is now common practice to pay attention to how a browser works, especially when it directly concerns one's private life. We can also assume that these settings are more visible, or at least more easily accessible in browsers, facilitating user intervention.
In detail for 2019, the three main parameters show the desire to put some distance to its traceability, but also in relation to targeted advertising:
- deleting browsing history (65%);
- Refusal to share geographic location (55%);
- blocking cookies (51%).
If Chrome is the most popular browser among French Internet users, Firefox users (second browser) are the most informed about these settings.
Less automatic settings on smartphones and tablets, a marked distrust of geolocation
68% of smartphone owners have it set (up from 60% in 2015, an 8-point increase).
The main reasons for these settings remain the same as in previous years:
- Block access to geolocation (47% vs. 37% in 2015, but loss of 2 points from 2018)
- Turn off geolocation or network communications for privacy issues (44% vs. 38% in 2015, but down 2 points from 2018 as well).
Note that one out of two French people has already given up installing an application because of the access to certain information it requested (same figures in 2018).
Increasing use of ad blocking tools, especially in order to protect one's data
The rate of French internet users who have used an ad blocker on their computer has increased from 36% to 54% from 2015 to 2019.
The main reason is to no longer see intrusive ads, but 33% of respondents also emphasize that it is also about protecting their personal data. This figure is up 7 points since 2015: "installing such a tool is not just a choice of comfort".
On tablets and cell phones, the proportions are lower (19% and 17% respectively) but are significantly up since 2018 (+2 points). The desire to protect personal information seems stronger than on computers, representing 40% and 44% of reasons for adblocker installations for 2019.
"If there is a more marked difference between the different media, it is explained by the fact that settings and extensions are less easily accessible on tablets and smartphones. The latter two are also more personal: they are lent or shared less often than a computer, which also changes the way they are used.
Strong growth in the use of password managers
The use of a password manager is still quite low, but is up 50% from 8% to 12% in one year.
The 25-34 year olds are 19% to use a tool of this type.
"The French still seem to be attached to a "paper" management of their logins and passwords (31%), especially among the older people, which does not necessarily go in the direction of the security recommendations on this subject: generally speaking, it is better to "remember them without writing them down".
Internet users and voice assistants: use (still) low, but vigilance (slightly) up
The Linc experts note "a significant increase in the use of voice assistants, and a new relationship with connected objects and smartphones: 33% have already used a voice assistant over the past 12 months (compared to 29% in 2018), all media combined."
Ownership of voice assistants is up from 2018: individuals owning a connected speaker rose from 8% to 13%, showing that in one year, penetration of these devices remains low-key but is gaining ground.
46% of users have looked into setting up these voice assistants: 6 points more than in 2018.
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