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Steps to protect personal details online
Total 88.6 81.8
Restrict access to
location data
77.9 70.4
Restrict access to
social media profile
70.3 54.8
Do not allow
commercial use
61.6 67.6
Check website
security
57.5 56.3
Read privacy
statement
43.7 39.2
Ensure that data
is deleted
14.2 11.3

Dutch people were more cautious about posting personal data online than two years earlier. Of those aged 12 years and over, 78 percent said they restricted or denied access to location data (70 percent in 2021), and 70 percent said they restricted access to their social media profile (up from 55 percent in 2021). Over 60 percent did not allow their personal data to be used for commercial purposes, up from 68 percent in 221.

Older people the least likely to protect their personal information online

Among those aged over 65, 74 percent actively protect their personal information online; among those aged between 12 and 64 years, 93 percent do this. People aged over 75 are the least likely to take steps to protect their personal information online, at only 60 percent.

Protection of personal details online, 2023
12-17 years 92.7
18-24 years 95.8
25-34 years 93.7
35-44 years 94.2
45-54 years 92.1
55-64 years 89.9
65-74 years 84.6
75+ years 60.3

More people concerned about online activity being tracked

A total of 60 percent of internet users aged 12 years and over said they were somewhat concerned about their online activities being tracked by others, up from 55 percent in 2021. In 2021, 30 percent of respondents were not at all concerned about their online activities being tracked, but two years later this group had dwindled to 25 percent. However, not all internet users change their computer, tablet or phone settings to prevent or restrict cookies. In both 2021 and 2023, over half of internet users aged 12 years and above did this. Neither do more people say they use software to prevent or limit the tracking of their online activities: the number of those who do so was 32 percent in both years.

Level of concern about tracking of online activities
2023 14.6 60.1 25.3
2021 15.4 54.6 30.0

People in the Netherlands take more precautions online than any other EU country

Of all EU countries, the Netherlands had the highest percentage of adults aged 16 to 74 who took steps to protect their personal information online (92 percent) in 2023. The EU average was 67 percent. A total of 81 percent in the Netherlands said they had restricted or denied access to online location data, which was also the highest in the European Union by far. Dutch people are also more likely than people in any other European country to check the security of a website before sharing any personal details.

Number of people taking steps to protect personal details online, EU 27, 2023
Netherlands 92
Finland 91
Ireland 82
Czechia 82
Denmark 81
Spain 79
Malta 78
Austria 75
Sweden 75
Hungary 72
Portugal 72
Estonia 72
France 70
Luxembourg 70
EU 27 67
Germany 66
Greece 65
Cyprus 65
Belgium 64
Croatia 63
Slovakia 61
Lithuania 61
Italy 57
Slovenia 52
Poland 51
Latvia 51
Bulgaria 50
Romania 46
Source: CBS, Eurostat

Source of original article: Statistics Netherlands (CBS) (www.cbs.nl).
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