Just over half of Americans (55%) say they would be embarrassed if someone they knew had access to their lifetime internet browsing history. This is a higher percentage than any other country in the survey, and it’s especially high among those who say they use the internet for personal reasons (78%).
Key Findings
A majority of Americans would rather give up their smartphone for a year than have their browsing history published online. About a third of Americans (32%) would be embarrassed if people saw how much time they spent on social media. Of those who clear their browsing histories, 30% do so to hide them from their spouses.
The Most Embarrassing Things Americans Do on the Internet
Americans are self-conscious about how they spend their time online. Forty percent of Americans would be embarrassed if other people saw how much time they spend reading about certain things online, and about a third (32%) would be embarrassed if people saw how much time they spent on social media.
Nearly half (45%) of Americans say the most embarrassing things they do online are look up people they know to get details about their lives and watch embarrassing content. The internet can also be a treasure trove of intimate information: Over a third of Americans said they search for relationship, health and other personal advice online (38%) as well as research their medical symptoms (36%).
When Americans look up people they know, they are most curious to find out what their looks like (56%) and what their lifestyles are like (54%). ..
- YouTube
- Reddit ..
In a recent study, it was found that men are more embarrassed about their porn habits than women. Specifically, 51% of those surveyed said they were most embarrassed to spend time on PornHub, while 27% of women reported the same. Interestingly, women might be more ashamed of their health-related queries. Of the women surveyed, 16% reported they were most embarrassed to spend time on WebMD, versus 7% of men. This suggests that there is still a lot of stigma attached to pornography and its users in society. ..
Americans Want to Hide Their Online Activity, Especially from Family and Friends
Americans are embarrassed about their internet habits, but they don’t want anyone else to know. A majority of Americans (54%) would rather give up their smartphone use for a year than have their lifetime internet browsing history published online.
Americans are using their browsing histories to hide what they’re looking at from their family members. Nearly half of Americans use incognito or private searches to keep their browsing history private, and 71% use them at least weekly.
Most Americans clear their browser history and use incognito searches to prevent data tracking from third parties, not to hide from their families or friends. ..
Americans are increasingly clearing their browser histories to hide them from family, friends, and employers. Of those who clear their histories, 30% do so to hide it from their partners; 23% clear their histories to hide them from their kids; and 22% from their parents. By contrast, bosses and coworkers aren’t a big concern. ..
Younger Americans Aren’t Proud of All the Time They Spend Online
We know that Gen Z and Millennial Americans use the internet much differently than older generations. They are embarrassed about reading about certain things online, and would be embarrassed if people knew who they looked up online or saw the kinds of content they watch.
Young adults are more likely than older Americans to spend time looking for people, content, and advice online. They’re also big online shoppers: Over a third (35%) take advantage of ecommerce options to shop for products that they wouldn’t buy in person.
Nearly half (47%) of young adults have deleted a social media post because they’re embarrassed about who might see it, versus 29% of older Americans. This is especially true for younger adults, who are more likely to delete posts than older adults (41% vs. 27%).
Nearly one third of young adults clear their browsing histories to hide them from their partners, and nearly a third do so to hide their habits from their friends. ..
Women Play the Comparison Game, While Men Worry About Their Partners Seeing What They’re up To
Women and men check out people they know on social media about the same amount, but women are more embarrassed about the time they spend on social media than men are. It’s no surprise, then, that women are more likely to hide the content they’ve shared. Over half (52%) have hidden posts on social media, compared to 43% of men.
Women are more interested in what their friends and family are up to, and use the internet to track down information. Of women, 62% look up people they know to see what their lifestyles are like; 40% look at their jobs; and 34% check out whether or not they have kids.
When it comes to browsing history, 3 in 4 men are embarrassed about theirs, and 1 in 4 said they’d be most embarrassed if their partners saw their browsing histories (versus 18% of women). Men are more likely to clear their browsing histories for privacy than for maintenance purposes. A third clear their histories to hide them from their partners specifically.
Men are more likely than women to hide social media posts from their partners, and to use anonymous social media accounts. ..
It’s Getting Scarier for Americans to Share Their Opinions Online
Americans are increasingly uncomfortable sharing their opinions online, according to a study released this week. Seventy-seven percent of Americans say they have become more uncomfortable sharing in the past year, while 38 percent worry someone might use their opinions to harm them. However, this concern doesn’t vary significantly by party or gender.
People with conservative viewpoints feel they face more discrimination than people with more progressive views. Men are more likely than women to say they’ve been penalized or banned for violating terms of conduct on social media. Republicans are more likely than Democrats to report penalization or banning.
An increasing number of people are using social media anonymously, especially on Reddit, Twitter, and Instagram. Americans say this allows them to maintain their privacy and talk more freely.
Conclusion
Americans admit to doing a lot of embarrassing stuff online. For many of them, clearing browsing histories and using incognito searches is all about maintaining privacy — not from hackers, but from friends and family. If you’re wondering about more ways you can protect your privacy or even just streamline your computer’s functionality, check out our computer tips.
We conducted a survey among 1,001 Americans on June 21, 2022. The gender breakdown was 49% Men, 48% Women, and 3% Nonbinary. The age breakdown was 10% Baby Boomers, 20% Gen X, 45% Millennials, and 24% Gen Z. The political party affiliation was 48% Democrat, 33% Independent, 17% Republican, and 2% Other.
