UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW

PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW

PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL RESEARCH PAPER PRESENTED

TO THE FACULTY OF THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL OF AMA COMPUTER
COLLEGE - LAS PIÑAS

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBJECT

PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

Christian Jay E. Galos

(26 - July, 2023)
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

INTRODUCTION

Thanks to the remarkable connectivity and convenience brought about by the

digital age, people all over the world can now take part in a variety of online
activities. Although it is essential to protect online privacy and security, there are a
number of cybersecurity challenges as the digital world becomes more rapid. As
more and more people rely on online platforms for communication, commerce, and
information sharing, it is crucial to look into how people navigate the complex world
of cybersecurity.

By analyzing the subtleties of online privacy and security, this study seeks to
shed light on the elements that affect people's behaviors, thoughts, and coping
strategies in the face of cyberthreats. By better understanding how people use
cybersecurity tools, we can spot knowledge gaps, investigate potential weak points,
and create specialized techniques that enable users to protect their privacy online.

Thorough research on people's attitudes and behaviors regarding online privacy

and security can teach researchers a lot about how people make decisions and
perceive risk. Using this information, researchers can design specialized
interventions and educational programs that empower users to make informed
decisions and take preventative measures to protect their personal information. By
analyzing the complexity of cybersecurity tools and the ways in which they are
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

used, researchers can also create more effective and user-friendly techniques to
enhance online privacy and security. In the end, this research will contribute to
everyone using the internet being safer and more secure.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Understanding how people in the digital age approach cybersecurity is the aim of
this research. It also aims to comprehend how users protect their privacy when
visiting websites. This highlights how essential it is to bring together expertise from
various fields in order to fully understand and effectively address the problems
posed by cybersecurity. It aimed to respond to the following particular queries:
1.What is the profile of the participants in terms of:
1.1 Age
1.2 Sex
1.3 Status

2. What are the most common online privacy and security threats that people
face in the digital era?
3. What are the current practices, knowledge, and awareness levels among
individuals regarding online privacy and security?
4. How do demographics, such as age, gender, and online experience, influence
individuals' perceptions and behaviors related to online privacy and security?
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Numerous beneficiaries will gain from the study's conclusions and ramifications.
Additionally, the study will offer knowledge, facts, and understanding to assist the
target audience with their online privacy and security. The research would be
beneficial for the following:
Teenagers. The study will look into how teenagers can improve understand and
successfully navigate the complexities of cybersecurity to protect themselves from
online dangers like identity theft or cyberbullying. The importance of teaching
teenagers proper online behavior will also be discussed, and the potential
consequences of disclosing personal information or taking risks online will be
highlighted.
Adults. The research will look at the difficulties that adults in the
maintaining online privacy and security, taking into account problems like social
engineering, data breaches, and phishing scams. Adults will receive helpful tips on

how to protect their personal information online and avoid scams.

Parents. The study's objective is to help parents comprehend the risks that
parents should be aware of for their kids online, such as inappropriate content and
cyberbullying. The study will also discuss the importance of parents and children
having open discussions about online safety and potential risks.
Company Agencies. In order to stop any leaks and thwart any cyberattacks,
the study aims to give company agencies efficient strategies and measures to
protect
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

their private information, including the financial records of the company and the
personal information of its employees. It will be emphasized how crucial it is to put
in place robust security measures, educate staff about cybersecurity best practices,
and keep up with threats and vulnerabilities.
Government Employees. The goal of the study is to provide guidance and
advice to government employees on how to protect sensitive information and thwart
cyberattacks. Strong security measures must be implemented, and staff members
must be trained using cybersecurity programs, according to this document.
Employing the techniques covered in this research, government employees can
successfully defend against cyberattacks and safeguard their personal information.

RESEARCH QUESTION

By limiting the specific elements or variables they want to examine, the

researchers will be better able to concentrate on the study. This will act as a guide

for the research, giving direction for the gathering and analysis of the study's data. It
aims to address the following questions in particular:
1. What steps or precautions does one take to safeguard their online privacy and
data?
2. What impact do demographic factors have on how people act and behave
online?
3. How do they respond to the online threats that they face?
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

RESEARCH INSTRUMENT

Terms and Consent

NOTE: Thank you for your interest in our research study on online privacy and
security in the digital era. We prioritize your privacy and anonymity, ensuring that
any information provided in the survey is kept strictly confidential and anonymous.
Your responses will be aggregated and analyzed to prevent individual identities
from being linked to the data. We adhere to strict research ethics and data
protection guidelines to ensure the security and privacy of all participants. If you
have any concerns or questions about privacy or the research process, please do
not hesitate to contact us. Your participation will contribute to a deeper
understanding of how people navigate cybersecurity in the digital era. Thank you for
your valuable input.

Every piece of information gathered here will be used solely for research

purposes. Information provided will remain private and confidential. You are
obligated to fill out this survey with information that is true and accurate to the best
of your knowledge.

Do you agree?
O Yes
O No
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Participant's Profile
Your Name: ______________________________________________________
Age: ____________________________________________________________
Status:
O Teenagers
O Adults
O Parents
O Company Agencies
O Government Employees

Survey Questionnaires
1. How often do you update or change your online information? (Specify if
"Other")
O Every Week
O Once a Month

O Once a Year
O Other: ______________________________________________________
2. What steps or procedures do you employ to protect your online information
and privacy?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Survey Questionnaires
3. What kinds of difficulties do you encounter as a user of the internet in your
daily life?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
4. What kind of online misconduct have you experienced so far as an internet
user? (Specify if "Other")
O Cyberbullying
O Trolling
O Sock puppet accounts/Fake accounts
O Scam
O Phishing
O Other: ______________________________________________________
5. How did you handle it?
______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Respondents' Profile
Graph 1 depicts the respondents' age range and status: teenager, adult, parent,
company agency, and government employee.

Government Employees Teenagers

20% 20%

Company Agencies Adults

20% 20%

Parents
20%

Government
Teenagers: Adults: Parents: Company
Employees:
16-19 years 20-25 33-44 Agencies:
38-48 years
old years old years old 35-44 years old
old

Note: This data was gathered with the respondents' agreement on the
researcher's terms and consent.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

The graph above shows that an equal number of participants were chosen in
terms of status to balance out the study and obtain the most accurate answers
possible.

Survey Questionnaires
Question 1, Graph. Shows how frequently respondents change their passwords
and online information.

Every Week
Others
6.7%
13.3%

Once a Month
40%

Once a Year
40%

According to the data above, 40% of respondents change their passwords

monthly, 40% once a year, 6.7% weekly, and 13.3% fall into the "Others" category,
indicating a variable frequency of password changes or irregular patterns. This
suggests that people will or may react differently to threats they encounter online.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Survey Questionnaires
Question 2, Table. Procedures that they employ to protect their online privacy.

A conclusion that can be drawn from the data is that different groups of people
have different patterns or frequencies for changing their passwords. The profiles of
the respondents also had an impact on the outcomes, with adults and government
employees demonstrating a higher level of commitment to protecting their privacy
than parents, teenagers, and company agencies, who only took a minimal amount
of action.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Survey Questionnaires
Question 3, Table. Difficulties they encounter as a user of the internet in their
daily lives.

The table illustrates the challenges that various demographic groups face as
regular internet users. It suggests that people who heavily rely on social media,
such as teenagers, parents, and government employees, are more likely to
experience internet connection problems. It also implies that people's problems
increase as they get older because they are more likely to encounter harmful
information or websites.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Survey Questionnaires
Question 4, Graph. Kinds of online misconduct they experienced as an internet
user.

Others
6.7% Cyberbullying
20%
Phishing
20%

Trolling
6.7%

Scam
20% Fake Accounts
26.7%

According to the given information, it is evident that encountering dangerous

content or sites can lead to an increase in the problems faced by users. The graph
shows that fake accounts are the most frequent form of misconduct experienced by
respondents, followed by cyberbullying, phishing, and scams. Trolling and other
inappropriate websites are reported to be less common. Overall, all these forms of
misconduct are concerning and can have unexpected consequences for users.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

Survey Questionnaires
Question 5, Graph. How they handled the said online misconduct.

Did nothing
26.7% Reported it
33.3%

Took the matter in their own hands

40%

It's interesting to note that while 33.3% of respondents reported the misconduct
to authorities, a sizable portion of respondents (40%) decided to handle the
problems on their own. The fact that 26.7% of respondents took absolutely no
action is worrying. This suggest that there is a lack of knowledge or comprehension
regarding how to deal with online misconduct.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Overall Verbal Interpretation of the Respondents' Behavior About Safeguarding

Their Online Privacy and Security

The table above highlights the overall behaviors of how respondents safeguard
their online privacy and security. The data shows that teenagers are slightly
concerned about their online privacy, while adults are more concerned, with two
being moderately concerned and one being very concerned. Parents are
unconcerned, while company agencies are slightly, moderately, or very concerned.
Government employees are the most concerned, with two being very concerned
and the other being moderately concerned.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

The following are the salient of this study regarding the particular questions:
Problem No.1. How often do you update or change your online information?
(Specify if "Other")
1.1 Every Week
1.2 Once a Month
1.3 Once a Year
1.4 Others...
The data collected on password-changing habits revealed that the majority of
respondents prefer to change their passwords on a monthly basis. However, a
minority of participants opt for either an annual or weekly password change.
Interestingly, a portion of respondents exhibited irregular patterns or variable
frequencies of password changes, falling into the "Others" category. In summary,
these findings highlight the diverse approaches individuals have towards online

threats and their varying reactions in such scenarios.

Problem No.2. What steps or procedures do you employ to protect your online
information and privacy?
The data shows that most respondents change their passwords to protect their
privacy, while some enable double-authentication for added security. Some
respondents apply knowledge from other platforms and media sources, suggesting
a proactive approach to privacy protection. Adults and government employees
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

show higher commitment to privacy protection compared to parents, teenagers, and

company agencies.

Problem No.3. What kinds of difficulties do you encounter as a user of the

internet in your daily life?
This study highlights the significant influence that the internet has on
various facets of daily life for various groups of people. It draws attention to the
difficulties parents, government workers, and teenagers have connecting to the
internet, perhaps as a result of their reliance on social media. Additionally, it
suggests that problems worsen as people age because they are more likely to
encounter harmful information or websites. This suggests that the internet has a
significant impact on the daily activities, interpersonal relationships, and general
well-being of people from various backgrounds and age groups.

Problem No.4. What kind of online misconduct have you experienced so far as
an internet user? (Specify if "Other")
4.1 Cyberbullying
4.2 Trolling
4.3 Fake accounts
4.4 Scam
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

4.5 Phishing
4.6 Others...
The information provided highlights the potential dangers that users may face
when encountering dangerous content or sites. The graph demonstrates that fake
accounts, cyberbullying, phishing, and scams are the most prevalent forms of
misconduct reported by respondents. While trolling and inappropriate websites are
reported to be less common, it is important to recognize that all forms of misconduct
can have serious consequences for users. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to
exercise caution and take necessary precautions while navigating the online space.

Problem No.5. How did you handle it?

The study highlights the importance of exercising caution and taking precautions
when navigating the online space. A significant number of respondents chose to

handle problems independently, indicating a lack of awareness or understanding of

online misconduct. A quarter took no action, highlighting the need for education and
resources to empower individuals to deal with such issues effectively. Ensuring
individuals have the knowledge and skills to navigate the online space safely and
effectively is crucial for promoting a safer and more responsible online environment.
Proactively seeking information and support is essential for effectively dealing with
online misconduct.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

CONCLUSION

Analysis of the result simply means that after the conduct of understanding online
privacy and security: investigating how people navigate cybersecurity in the digital
era, a significant outcome took place. The lack of knowledge on how to safeguard
online privacy is observable, as the respondents have a tendency to disregard their
safety. Thus, it is crucial to have support and education in order to effectively
address and handle online misconduct.

Furthermore, the result showed that the respondents preferred to solve their own
problems through their own actions rather than asking for an expert's help. This
behavior can lead to further vulnerability and potential harm in the digital space.
Finally, some respondents, especially the older ones, have difficulty keeping up with
the fast-paced changes and flow of the internet because they are unable to
comprehend the additional terms and words that the modern language offers. This

results in a lack of understanding and potentially puts them at higher risk for cyber
threats. Overall, it is crucial for individuals of all ages to stay informed and educated
about cybersecurity to protect themselves and their personal information online.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

RECOMMENDATIONS

Following a careful examination and consideration of the study's findings and

conclusions, the following recommendations are made:
1. The teenagers who are the main target of this study may be taught about
cybersecurity through various means, such as workshops, seminars, and
educational programs. These initiatives should focus on teaching them about the
importance of strong passwords, safe browsing habits, and how to identify and
avoid identity theft and cyberbullying. Lastly, educating teenagers about the risks of
sharing personal information online and the potential consequences of
cyberbullying should be included in these initiatives.

2. Adults may participate in cybersecurity training programs and workshops to

improve their online safety. Stay updated on threats and best practices through
online articles, blogs, and reputable websites. Both teenagers and adults can

contribute to a safer online environment by recognizing the importance of protecting

personal information and being cautious when sharing it online. Prioritizing
cybersecurity and conscious efforts is crucial for reducing the risk of cyberattacks
and preventing their spread.

3. Parents who are the most vulnerable of them all may need to take extra
precautions to ensure their own online safety as well as the safety of their children.
UNDERSTANDING ONLINE PRIVACY AND SECURITY: INVESTIGATING HOW
PEOPLE NAVIGATE CYBERSECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

RECOMMENDATIONS

They should educate themselves about the potential dangers their children may
face online and establish open lines of communication with them to discuss online
safety. Additionally, parents should monitor their children's online activities and set
appropriate boundaries and guidelines to protect them from potential threats. By
being proactive and involved in their children's online lives, parents can help create
a safer online environment for the entire family.

4. The company agencies that have much better cybersecurity than the first ones
can simply update their security procedures to meet the suggested standards. By
doing this, they will be better prepared to deal with threats and safeguard their
private data from unauthorized access. These companies can ensure a safer online
environment for themselves and their customers by staying current with the most
recent security measures and continually enhancing their systems.

5. Finally, government employees are the ones with the most sense of
cybersecurity, as they value their online information more than the other
participants. They may just do these things for added security: using strong and
unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, regularly updating their
software and devices, being cautious of phishing attempts, and using secure
networks when accessing sensitive information.