Pew's polling shows a consent system that has stopped functioning: 79% of Americans worry about how companies use their data, 81% say the risks of collection outweigh the benefits, yet 67% admit they have little idea what actually happens to it. People are not indifferent — they are resigned, clicking through policies that 72% never read because reading them would change nothing.
The supply side explains the resignation. More than 2,500 data broker firms operate in the US feeding an industry valued around $150 billion, and 98% of websites run at least one tracking technology. You cannot opt out one popup at a time; you can only reduce what you emit. Blocking trackers, masking your IP address with a VPN, and filing deletion requests with the largest brokers shrinks the profile being traded.
Why This Data Matters
The cybersecurity landscape evolves rapidly. Each year brings new attack vectors, regulatory changes, and shifting threat patterns. By tracking these statistics, organizations and individuals can allocate security resources more effectively and anticipate emerging risks before they escalate.
Industry reports from organizations like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), CISA, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) consistently highlight the growing sophistication of cyber threats and the critical importance of proactive defense measures.
How to Protect Yourself
The most effective step you can take today is using a VPN to encrypt your internet connection and hide your online activity from ISPs, advertisers, and potential attackers. Combined with strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and regular software updates, a VPN forms a critical layer of your personal security stack.
Google's Safety Center recommends encrypting your connection on public networks — exactly what GhostShield VPN provides with ChaCha20 encryption and no-logs policy.
Read our complete guide to online privacy →
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Methodology
All statistics are sourced from publicly available reports by reputable research organizations, government agencies, and industry analysts. Sources are cited alongside each statistic. We update this page regularly as new data becomes available. methodology page.