AARP: Policy and Research Information for Professionals in Aging

Search Policy & Research

Advanced Search

Email Newsletter

Get updates on Policy & Research by email.

Online Privacy

They Want to Know: The Opinions of AARP Members in West Virginia About Data Breach Notification Legislation  / Research Report
February 2008— AARP members in West Virginia think data breach notification legislation is important, they support it, and they would be more likely to vote for a candidate that supported such legislation. This September-October 2007 AARP survey tapped the opinions of 1,019 West Virginia members. (18 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Orlando Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
December 2006— What 500 age 40+ Orlando area computer and email users do to protect their identities from thieves and avoid phishing, spyware and other Internet hazards is examined in this November 2006 AARP telephone survey of Floridians’ online experiences and practices. (22 pages)

2006 Survey of AARP New Mexico Members  / Research Report
November 2006— Findings from a 2006 mail survey exploring and measuring the opinions of AARP members on legislative issues and personal concerns are presented in five individual topical reports concerning affordable housing, consumer financial privacy, long-term care, transportation, and utilities.

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Los Angeles Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
November 2006— With California having the third highest statewide identity theft rate in the nation and the Los Angeles area fifth in ID theft-related complaints, this October 2006 AARP telephone survey of 500 age 40+ LA computer users examines their level of concern and what they’re doing to avoid becoming online crime victims. (22 pages)

AARP Election Watch 2006: Pulse of a Generation  / Research Report
November 2006— Of 1,500 age 42+ likely voters surveyed between October 23rd and 29th, 2006 by AARP, 83 percent are seriously considering the rising budget deficit in their voting decisions, and 76 percent are likely to vote for candidates supporting increased domestic spending while 47 percent favor and 40 percent oppose creating a national sales tax to fund healthcare for children and the uninsured.

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Philadelphia Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
October 2006— Computer ownership and Internet access by Philadelphia area residents age 40+, their concerns about safeguarding their personal information, their experience with spam, phishing, worms, viruses, and spyware, and the measures they take to prevent these problems are explored in this AARP telephone survey of 500 Philadelphia metro area residents. (22 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Raleigh-Durham Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
October 2006— With North Carolina having the 21st highest number of identity theft victims, the level of concern among age 40+ Raleigh-Durham area computer users about providing personal information over the Internet and what they are doing to protect themselves are examined in this Fall 2006 AARP survey. (22 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Charlotte Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
October 2006— What 500 age 40+ Charlotte, NC area computer and email users do to avoid being victimized by spam, phishing, worms, viruses, spyware and other Internet hazards are examined in this October 2006 AARP telephone survey about their online experiences and prevention strategies. (22 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of New York City Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
October 2006— Preventative measures that they take to avoid spam, phishing, worms, viruses, spyware and other Internet hazards are examined in this September 2006 AARP telephone survey exploring the online experiences of 500 age 40+ New York City area computer and email users. (23 pages)

Consumer Fraud: A 2006 Survey of AARP Idaho Members' Experiences and Opinions  / Research Report
September 2006— Concerned about identity theft, 90 percent of the 1,035 AARP Idaho members surveyed by mail during March and April 2006 want their state to strengthen laws and regulations to protect consumers against this crime and 93 percent support stiffening penalties for repeat ID theft offenders. (44 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Detroit Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
September 2006— The experiences of 500 age 40+ Detroit metro area residents with spam, phishing, worms, viruses, spyware and other Internet hazards are explored in this September 2006 AARP telephone survey which also covers the preventative measures they take to avoid these problems and where they go for help. (22 pages)

Caught in the NET: A Survey of Chicago Area Residents 40+ About Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
September 2006— The experiences of 500 age 40+ Chicago metro area residents with spam, phishing, worms, viruses, spyware and other Internet hazards are explored in this August 2006 AARP telephone survey which also covers the preventative measures they take to avoid these problems and where they go for help. (22 pages)

Caught in the Net: A Survey of Phoenix Area Residents 40+ about Online Use and Safety  / Research Report
August 2006— How concerned Phoenix area residents are about providing personal information over the Internet, what they are doing to protect against destructive emails and software, and where they would turn for help are examined in this August 2006 AARP survey of 500 Metropolitan Phoenix residents age 40 and over. (27 pages)

Into the Breach: Security Breaches and Identity Theft  / Research Report
July 2006— Security breaches of data files can lead to identity theft. In this AARP Public Policy Institute Data Digest, Neal Walters analyzes 244 breaches between January 1, 2005 and May 26, 2006, and finds that 40 percent were caused by hackers or insider access targeting sensitive personal information, potentially exposing 50 million individuals’ names and personal data. (4 pages) (Publication ID: DD142)

Spyware and Identity Theft  / Research Report
May 2006— Spyware is rapidly becoming the tool of choice for cyberthieves using the Internet to commit identity theft. This AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Neal Walters examines how spyware is used to gather sensitive personal information from unsuspecting Internet users, and provides policy options for combating this rapidly growing crime. (2 pages) (Publication ID: FS126)

Defending Your Financial Privacy: The Benefits and Limits of Self-Help  / Research Report
February 2006— Coping with threats to consumers’ financial privacy is examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Robert N. Mayer which concludes that while individuals are taking significant actions to protect their privacy, they can't do it alone, and that businesses and government bodies must become involved in educating the public, developing new privacy protection technologies, and offering credible, well-publicized programs that lower what it costs consumers to defend their privacy. (54 pages) (Publication ID: 2006-06)

In Brief: Defending Your Financial Privacy: The Benefits and Limits of Self-Help  / Research Report
February 2006— A succinct summary of the similarly titled AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Robert N. Mayer examining how consumers are coping with threats to their financial privacy. While individuals are taking significant actions to protect their privacy, they can't do it alone, the study finds, business and government need to educate the public, develop new privacy protection technologies, and offer credible, well-publicized programs that lower what it costs consumers to defend their privacy. (2 pages) (Publication ID: INB118)

Gone Phishing: The Internet and Identity Theft  / Research Report
June 2005— How “phishing” deceives unsuspecting Internet users into disclosing sensitive personal information is examined in this AARP Public Policy Institute Fact Sheet by Neal Walters which explores efforts by state governments and individual consumers to combat this rapidly expanding online fraud. (2 pages) (Publication ID: FS118)

AARP National Survey on Consumer Preparedness and E-Commerce: A Survey of Computer Users Age 45 and Older  / Research Report
March 2000— How well are computer users age 45 and older prepared for dealing with marketplace changes resulting from the rapid growth of electronic commerce and online transactions? How concerned are they about the privacy issues raised by the possibility of paper records - such as contracts, warranties, disclosures and notices - being replaced by computer-transmittable electronic records? (69 pages)