42% feel unable to protect data

Less than three fifths (58 per cent) of people in Ireland who use a computer feel they are capable of protecting their personal data.

A Central Statistics Office survey Information Society and Telecommunications in Households found that just 25 per cent of people aged between 60 and 74 felt they were able to protect their data compared to 77.7 per cent of those aged 16 to 29.

There was a similar pattern when it came to ability to stop virus attacks, with more than 70 per cent of individuals aged 16 to 29 believing they were capable of controlling them compared to just 23 per cent of 60 to 74 year olds.

The survey shows that 81 per cent of households in Ireland now have computer, an increase of 16 per cent since 2007.

Among the reasons given by respondents for not having a computer were that they did not need one, did not have the necessary skills, availability of access elsewhere or that they could not afford the cost of the equipment.

A total of 78 per cent of households now have internet access, up from 57 per cent in 2007.

The survey found that 77 per cent of people aged 16 to 74 accessed the internet everyday, compared to just 21 per cent of those aged 60 to 74.

Under the heading of e-commerce, the survey found that travel arrangements (30.1 per cent) and holiday accommodation (27.6 per cent) were the most popular online purchases followed by tickets for concerts and events, and films and music.

The survey found that laptops (at 62 per cent) remain the most common way of accessing the internet when away from the household with smart phones at 26 per cent.

At the end of June there were over 1.66 million active internet subscriptions in Ireland, a slight decrease (0.2 per cent) on the previous quarter but 5.2 per cent more than a year earlier.