Privacy, data protection and cyber crimes: mapping perceptions of Pakistani users

Advancements in information and communication technologies have increased the vulnerabilities surrounding our personal data. The absence of privacy by design in digital devices has allowed them to be weaponized for acquiring the personal data of targeted individuals. Moreover, individuals giving consent to private entities to process their data without reading the terms and conditions allow these entities to sell personal data to illicit brokers and advertisers for profits. In this paper, we have attempted to understand the public perception of Pakistani users about privacy and data protection through a cross-national representative sample. The survey touches upon several themes regarding privacy and data protection. We identified that most educated Pakistanis had limited privacy and data protection awareness. However, they are generally aware of the terms of adopting privacy and data protection measures. The survey findings reveal that every third respondent was a victim of cybercrime. This ratio could dramatically increase if the uneducated respondents were included in the study. The trend of falling victim to cybercrimes is anticipated to increase due to the lax measures adopted by Pakistani users.