According to the 2017 Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report, Canadians are still unaware that they’re putting their information at risk when connecting to a public WiFi network. The study notes that Canadians can’t resist access to a strong, free WiFi network, despite the fact that growing public Wi-Fi use is putting thousands of Canadians at risk to cyberattacks.
The report also highlights an interesting fact that “46% of Canadians can’t wait more than a few minutes before logging onto a Wi-Fi network or asking for the password after arriving at a friend’s place, café, hotel or other location”. Furthermore, 84% of Canadian consumers don’t use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to secure their Wi-Fi connections, even though it’s one of the best ways to protect your information.
Respondents said that accessing a strong Wi-Fi signal was a deciding factor when choosing the following:
Respondents say that access to a strong Wi-Fi signal is a deciding factor when choosing the following:
- A hotel/holiday/hostel rental (66 per cent, 71 per cent globally)
- A transport hub for traveling and/or commuting (36 per cent, 46 per cent globally)
- A place to eat or drink (café, bar, restaurant, etc.) (36 per cent, 43 per cent globally)
- An airline (32 per cent, 43 per cent globally)
Almost half of Canadians (48 per cent) say the most important reason for having access to strong public Wi-Fi is so they can use Maps, Google Maps or another GPS app to get around.
- 48 per cent of Gen Z and 29 per cent of Millennials say that most important reason for having access to strong public Wi-Fi is so they can post to a social sharing website such as Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat.
- For Traditionalists (aged 72+), the most important reason for using public Wi-Fi is so they can use Maps, Google Maps, or another GPS to get around. (48 per cent)
To review the full global report, click here.
