For the ongoing IFA conference in Berlin, international software security group Kaspersky Lab surveyed more than 500 Germans about their interests in the latest digital technologies. And the results weren’t positive for drones and virtual reality.
Forty-five percent of respondents said they were opposed to any use of drones, including commercial and hobby usage, while nearly a quarter said they don’t see any future usage of drones that would be beneficial to society. And more than half (52%) said they don’t see themselves using any type of virtual reality technology in the next three years, compared to 20% who said they would use VR, and 28% who were undecided.
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The survey found that 42% of respondents are skeptical of digital technology in general, with only 6% describing their feelings of a digital future as “exciting.” Kaspersky closely linked the Germans’ attitudes toward cyber security concerns, with nearly 70% saying digital technologies expose them to personal privacy risks, and only 20% saying digital tech makes their information more secure.
“Our study shows a comprehensive picture of how German users feel about their increasingly digital everyday lives," said Holger Suhl, general manager for Kaspersky Lab, in a statement. "The results are — as the cyber world is — heterogeneous. However, when it comes to data protection and the cyber security of their digital futures, skepticism is spreading among Germans.
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“And they have good reason to be concerned. As well as possibilities, the new digital world offers ways for cybercriminals to illegally collect data or manipulate systems. Because of this, cyber security issues should be considered from the first stages of development for all of these new and exciting digital solutions.”
One virtual reality caveat from the study: nearly 30% of German male respondents said they would be interested in virtual reality sex applications. That’s compared to 15% of German women.
