2024 survey: Would you delete yourself from the internet?

In 2022, we asked people whether they would delete their data from the internet if they could. Two years later, we came back. Discover how people’s opinions have changed in two years, find out what they fear the most today, and learn how you can remove your data from the internet.

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About the survey

NordVPN commissioned this survey in collaboration with Incogni, a personal data removal service. The goal of the survey was to gain deeper insights into internet users' privacy concerns. Like the 2022 survey, respondents from the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy were asked several questions about deleting their data from the internet. This year, two additional questions regarding users' awareness of data brokers were added.

What are the key findings?

Around a third of internet users say they would like to delete themselves from the internet, with the USA (44%) and Canada (41%) showing the strongest desire. Most respondents would prefer to remove their financial information. The main reasons for wanting to erase their online presence include feeling exploited by companies that collect and use personal data (especially in Spain) and concerns over potential hacking (noted by 45% of all respondents). German respondents uniquely cited the belief that there’s no reason to have their names on the internet as a key motivator.

infographic would you delete yourself from the internet

How much do you value privacy?

To understand how much people value privacy, we asked about the types of information they wouldn’t want others to know — and what they would want to know about others. The majority of respondents named financial information (64%), medical records (41%), and personal texts and emails (42%) as the information they most want to keep private. Germans also highlighted criminal records (25%) and details of their intimate lives (40%) as sensitive data they want to protect. However, when it comes to prying into others' lives, most people across all surveyed markets said they simply don’t want to know anything.

While these responses suggest that privacy is highly valued, 59% of respondents — especially in France and Italy — wouldn’t pay to browse the internet anonymously. This may be because most have not experienced personal data theft. In fact, up to 65% of users in Italy believe that their personal data hasn’t been leaked or stolen, or they’re unsure (24%).

What are the generational differences?

Millennials and Gen Z are significantly more inclined than older generations to want their online presence erased. In contrast, Baby Boomers are far less likely to express a desire to delete themselves from the internet. This generational divide is consistent across most surveyed countries, with the exception of Spain and France, where respondents across all age groups show no significant differences in their opinions on this issue.

Do you know what data brokers are?

With the growing influence of the data broker industry, we asked internet users how familiar they were with these companies. Only about 18% of respondents claimed to know what a data broker is, with France and Spain showing the lowest awareness (13%) and Italy the highest (25%).

Among those aware of data broker activities, nearly half believe that such companies are actively collecting their online activity, personal details, and contact information. Furthermore, one in five respondents go even further, correctly believing that data brokers are gathering virtually every aspect of their personal, professional, and digital lives. This reflects a significant level of concern about the depth of data collection.

Comparing the 2022 survey: What changed?

As mentioned, a similar survey was conducted two years ago. Since the 2022 survey, we can see a notable shift in every surveyed market. More people have expressed a desire to delete themselves from the internet, especially in Canada (+5%) and Germany (+6%), where the respondents are increasingly concerned about personal data security, particularly financial information.

In the UK, users are worried that their sensitive information, such as financial statements, could be exposed, making them targeted for malicious third parties. In Germany and Spain, the respondents feel increasingly exploited by the companies collecting their personal data. Concerns over anonymity have also grown, with more Italians willing to pay to browse online anonymously.

How can you protect your privacy online?

This survey has shown that people increasingly recognize the importance of online privacy and security. If you're looking to do the same, here are a few simple steps to help you stay safer and protect your privacy online:

Share less

Be mindful of what you share online. Adjust your social media privacy settings so that only friends and family can see your posts.

Use a VPN

Virtual private networks encrypt your online traffic and route it via a remote server, making it more difficult for your ISP or third-party advertisers to track you online.

Protect your accounts

Use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security, making it significantly harder for unauthorized users to access your accounts.

Opt out of data brokers

Data brokerage companies collect your data, use it to build your advertising profile, and then sell it all to anyone willing to pay. Remove your personal information from data brokers with services like Incogni.

Methodology

This research was commissioned by NordVPN and carried out by Cint between June 28 and July 10, 2024. A total of 6,800 respondents from the US, UK, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, 18 years old and older were surveyed. Researchers placed quotas on respondents’ gender, age, and place of residence to achieve a nationally representative sample among internet users.