Privacy & Security Concerns Over Smart Devices, December 2014 [CHART]

The flying car hasn’t arrived yet, but plenty of smart devices are now on the scene. And according to a December 2014 study conducted by Ipsos MORI for TRUSTe, more than one-third (35%) of US internet users own at least one smart device other than a smartphone.

What worried internet users most was the collection of their personal information to be used in ways they weren’t aware of. Identity theft and malware infection were also top of mind. Nearly 80% were concerned about smart devices collecting their personal info in general, and a similar percentage were concerned about location tracking behind their back.

Some may think that concerns like this would hold back smart-device adoption, but judging by worries about other devices that are mainstream, these issues may not be a deal breaker. Take smartphones, for example. July 2014 polling by AYTM Market Research found that among US smartphone owners, more than three-quarters were concerned about their smartphone privacy. However, this hasn’t prevented most US consumers from grabbing such devices. eMarketer estimates that 184.2 million people in the US will use a smartphone this year, representing 71.6% of mobile phone users and 57.3% of the population. By 2018, penetration will come in at 82.0% of mobile phone users and 66.9% of the US population, with a total of 220.0 million smartphone users. Read the rest at eMarketer.