Sharing personal content such as suggestive texts, naked photos, suggestive videos and passcodes on mobile devices can potentially lead to cyber-stalking and the exposure of private content leaking online.
This is according to the study by McAfee titled "2014 Love, Relationships & Technology", which examined how nearly 9 000 consumers worldwide are sharing - especially with current or former significant others -and storing intimate data on their mobile devices.
The report found that while 96% of respondents use their mobile device to take photos, 49% send or receive intimate content including video, photos, e-mails and messages. A shocking quarter of all adults surveyed do not secure their smartphone with a password or passcode.
In addition, 38% have shared passwords with a significant other and 41% use the same password across multiple devices, increasing the likelihood of cyber-stalking, identity theft and leakage of intimate data, says the report.
"With all the stories we've heard about intimate photos being leaked, it's hard to believe people are still sharing their passwords," says Gary Davis, VP of McAfee consumer business. "Ultimately, they're increasing the risks of these photos becoming public and possibly jeopardising their identity and reputation."
Davis urges consumers to take precautions and use mobile security to ensure that what should be private stays private.
"We live in a risqu'e age, where celebrity sexting scandals are two a penny and snaps of private body parts go viral overnight. Behind every media leak, from Prince Harry's infamous night in Vegas to Scarlett Johansson naked selfies, is a smartphone. We're a generation living with digital baggage, whether you're the victim of a hack or a vengeful lover, pictures leaked online last a lifetime, says Andy Jones, relationship expert and a former dating columnist.
Jones advises digital daters to get wise to e-etiquette and start protecting their online reputations. "As a rule of thumb, if it's something you wouldn't want your family to see, you probably shouldn't share it!"
The survey also discovered that half of all adults currently have sexts or sexually explicit text messages they've sent to someone stored on their phone, and nearly the same amount (49%) have sexts saved on their smartphone.
It notes that only 28% of the people who sent or received sexts or intimate text messages, e-mails or photos delete the message from their device as soon as they have sent/received it, increasing the likelihood of private data being exposed. Of those who have sent intimate or racy content, 73% have sent this content to their significant other, while more than one in 10 (16%) individuals have sent similar content to a total stranger.
According to the report, 95% of all adults trust their significant other not to share intimate content or private information they have sent. When relationships have ended, only 37% of those that shared private content have asked their partner to delete the information.
In addition to sharing passwords, the report notes that 48% share mobile phone content and 47% share e-mail accounts. Yet, more than a quarter (28%) of respondents have taken their partner's mobile device to see other content stored on it, including messages and photos. Nearly a third (30%) of all people are likely to log on to their significant other's Facebook account at least once a month, while only 28% of those surveyed admitted to stalking their significant other's ex on social media.
With 92% of respondents on a social media platform, more than a quarter (26%) will send sexy or romantic images via e-mail, text or social media pages on Valentine's Day. Twenty-eight percent of all adults will write posts or messages to others via social network accounts and a quarter will post Valentine's photos to social networks, says the report.
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