The awareness, values and attitudes of user generated content website users and non-users towards privacy in Malta. A quantitative study.

Abstract

This document presents the Malta results of a study undertaken as part of the CONSENT project. Analyses and results are based on an online survey regarding the awareness, values and attitudes of user generated content (UGC) website users towards privacy. The questionnaire consisted of 75 questions and was available online in several European languages, including Maltese, between July and December 2011. For the dissemination of links to this online questionnaire in Malta, a mix of national media and University of Malta channels were used, ranging from banner ads on various media platforms and a media release to personalised emails and a special edition of the University’s Campus e-newsletter. The Malta sample consists of 618 respondents (7.2% of the total sample), of which 39% male and 61% female, with an average age of 29 and 80% tertiary education. With 84% UGC users (total sample 90%), 11.08 mean years of internet usage (total sample 10.67) and 95.4% using the internet at home every day or almost every day (total sample 93%), it is a considered a sample of predominantly experienced internet users. This level of experience is confirmed by the Maltese respondents’ awareness and behavior regarding the handling of technical details: 70% are aware of “cookies” (total sample 65%), though less than 2 out of three respondents actually ever disabled them (Malta 64%, total sample 68%).