Love, gadgets, dhoka: Your smartphone could be your enemy

With the rise of smartphones and faster internet with dipping prices, your better half is almost lost into the online world. Gone are the days where actual face-to-face conversations used to take place. Admit it! If you are in a relationship, be it love, friendship or parental, you probably are witnessing the same issue daily. You have to fight against your partner / kids devices to make sure you are not invisible to them.

In December 2016, Intel Security commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 1,400 adults (aged 18-55+). Respondents were individuals who use an internet-connected device on a daily basis and based in India. They released their findings from a global study, ‘Three’s Company: Lovers, Friends and Devices,’ that aims to understand the online behaviour of people and how it affects their relationships with friends and significant others. This study underscores the need for individuals to manage device usage during social interactions and calls for vigilance while sharing personal information.

Key findings from the Intel Security study:

Head Over Heels for Tech

• We use our connected devices more and more every day. On an average, adults in India spend more time online when they are home (43%) as they do interacting with others face-to-face (40%). With the trend of device usage seeing no end in sight it’s more important than ever to protect and secure what matters most.
• “More than half (57%) of those studied say that they have had to compete with their partner’s device for attention on a first date.
• The poor device usage behavior doesn’t stop after the first date. In fact, 60% of adults thought that their partner paid more attention to their own device when they were together one-on-one. You could say that our devices have become the “other (wo)man” in the relationship.

All is Fair in Love and Tech

• Despite being displeased with their partner’s device usage, 24% of Indians say they do not set rules about device usage when together. Only about 33% claim that they sometimes set device rules while out
• According to the study findings, 75% of the adults report getting into an argument with a friend, significant other, or family member over being on a device while together

Me, Myself and Our Passwords

• As the saying goes, sharing is caring, and couples today share a lot! Forty-six percent of couples share passwords to social media accounts, 38% share passwords to personal email accounts, and most shockingly nearly 35% of adults said they share their work specific devices and accounts with their significant other.

 Tips:

When it comes to protecting devices, here are a few tips to help consumers stay safe in their “love affair” all year long:

• At Last…I can protect what matters. Your home network is where everything happens. It’s time to take control. New solutions, such as McAfee Secure Home Platform help you easily manage and protect devices connected to the home network while providing controls with permissions that can be tailored to the entire household.  
• L-O-V-E is great, just don’t use it as your password. Long passwords are always better than short ones. Include numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as symbols. Even better, use a password management tool to help you store and create complex passwords, and enable multi-factor authentication on your devices and online accounts. Anytime you can use multiple login steps with your accounts, take advantage of it.
• Be careful with my heart…and what you store on your devices. Take the time to remove unnecessary personal information from your devices that could compromise your security. The less information cybercriminals have access to, the better.
• Can’t take my eyes off of you. We love our devices but it’s important to disconnect every now and then to spend time with the important people in our lives like friends and family. Your social networks and mobile games will be right there waiting for you when you get back.

Survey Methodology

In December 2016, Intel Security commissioned OnePoll to conduct a survey of 1,400 adults (aged 18-55+). Respondents were individuals who use an internet-connected device on a daily basis and based in India.