Ofcom's Media Literacy reports published and revealed the UK's media consumption habits and attitudes.

UK internet users becoming more security conscious

Most UK internet users are becoming more knowledgeable about security issues and less willing to provide personal information online than in 2007, according to Ofcom's Media Literacy reports which are published today and reveal the UK's media consumption habits and attitudes. Adults with a social networking profile are more likely to only allow friends or family to see it, currently at 80 per cent compared with 48 per cent in 2007. However, some internet users say they lack confidence in installing filtering software (25 per cent) and installing security features (23 per cent).

Adults in Scotland are the least likely overall to worry about entering personal data online. Fifty per cent are happy to enter their home address details on the internet compared with 23 per cent in Wales and Northern Ireland. Forty four per cent of adult internet users in Scotland are also happy to enter their credit card details compared with only 19 per cent of adults in Northern Ireland. In the UK, 32 per cent of adults are happy to provide their home address details, and 27 per cent are happy to give their credit card details.

Trust in sources of media

Around half of all adults consider television (52 per cent) and radio content (50 per cent) to be reliable and accurate compared to three in ten internet users judging internet content in this way (31 per cent).

UK online

Half of all internet users say that using the internet has increased their contact with friends (49 per cent) or family (47 per cent) who live further away, and around a quarter (24 per cent) say their contact with friends who live nearby has increased. Three in ten (30 per cent) UK adults now prefer to check their bank balance online compared with 22 per cent in 2005. Over a third (36 per cent) of adults now prefer to book holidays online or by email, which is now as popular as booking in person.

Half of UK adult internet users say they have made significant savings by comparing prices online or buying something online rather than in the shops (48 per cent). Overall, eight in ten UK adult internet users (81 per cent) have saved money by using the internet over the past six months.

Learning

Just over two in ten adults say they have experience of formal learning about digital technology, which is lower than in 2007 (21% vs. 27%). Experience of formal learning mostly relates to using the internet, and is less likely among those aged 65 and over compared to adults as a whole (16% vs. 21%). There has also been a decline since 2007 in the proportion of adults who would be interested in learning more about digital technology (25% vs. 31%). Interest in learning more mostly relates to using the internet.

As in 2007, when asked about their preferred way of learning about digital technology, just under half of adults nominate learning from friends or family (48%) or reading the manual / instructions (45%). Despite an increase in the number of those who prefer to go to a class to learn about digital technology (9% vs. 6%), few adults prefer this more formal method of learning. Older adults are more likely to prefer to learn from friends and family, while younger adults are more likely to prefer to learn through trial and error.