NEW DELHI,INDIA: VeriSign, Inc.,today released its inaugural VeriSign Internet Trust Index Report, a rigorous new method to help gauge and understand the level of confidence American adults have interacting and transacting with different types of Web sites.

The inaugural VeriSign Internet Trust Index Report scores the overall U.S. trust level at 61.5 on a scale of 100, with zero representing no trust and 100 representing absolute trust in the Internet. While trust levels vary widely among specific users, an Internet Trust Index score of 61.5 suggests that consumers have a modest level of confidence in their online activities. The score also suggests that, for online businesses and Web site operators to compete and grow, they must work harder to earn the trust of more consumers.

According to a release the index measures trust by surveying thousands of U.S. adults to capture relevant behaviors and attitudes that relate to Internet usage, while providing diagnostics that help trace why trust levels vary among individuals or groups.  The index also helps to gauge how worries over online security and privacy threats affect consumers’ behaviors on the Internet.

The report is based on written and online interviews conducted with 6,403 individuals from Nov. 4 to Dec. 18, 2009. The data is weighted against U.S. Census Bureau statistics to ensure the results are representative of the U.S. adult population. The survey is conducted for VeriSign by TNS, the world's largest custom research company, which also conducts the monthly Consumer Confidence Survey for The Conference Board.  

Key Findings

Among the key findings in the inaugural VeriSign Internet Trust Index Report:

·         Trust levels rise as users spend more time online, and as consumers grow more educated about the Internet and the risks they face online. Frequent users (those who go online three or more times a week) have a VeriSign Internet Trust Index score of 80. These users tend to be younger (42 years on average) than infrequent users (who, at an average age of 56, go online no more than once a week, and in some cases never). By contrast, infrequent users have a VeriSign Internet Trust Index score of just 24.

·         Frequent users (24 percent) are twice as likely to have been victims of identity theft, or to have known a victim, than infrequent users (12 percent). It’s unclear if this has reduced their frequency of use, and frequent users still see the Internet as a positive influence on their lives.

·         Half of frequent users (51 percent) and infrequent users (50 percent) agree that the amount of information on the Internet is overwhelming. They also agree that no information is safe from hackers or other threats.

·         The more frequently people use the Internet, the more likely they are to employ proven safeguards. More frequent Internet users tend to ignore emails from senders they do not know, install virus protection, ignore pop-ups and delete cookies and temp files, limit the amount of personal information they put on the Internet, and make purchases only on well-known sites.

·         Trust levels increase by more than 60 percent when users check for security seals, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) padlock, a green address bar, or https when making online purchases or sharing personal information. More than half (52 percent) of frequent users look for these visual security indicators, compared to just 5 percent of infrequent visitors. 

·         Among less frequent users, about four out of 10 would never conduct online bill pay or online banking because of security concerns. Roughly one-third would never manage investments, shop/purchase online because of security issues.

Differences

The research also captures demographic data that shows how Internet engagement and trust levels vary across various subgroups and populations. Those findings include:

·         Though equally active online, men and women tend to engage in different activities. Men check sports scores more often, while women engage in social networking more. Women are more concerned about being online than men when conducting financial activities and releasing personal information online.