Leaders choose security over privacy

People with higher job positions may be more willing to compromise privacy for security reasons, says a study.

Researchers examined how people with high-status job assignments evaluated security and privacy, and how impulsive or patient they were in making decisions.

They found that participants who were randomly placed in charge of a project tend to become more concerned with security issues.

The researchers also found that participants who were assigned lower-level positions expressed higher concern for privacy.

"What may get lost in the decision-making process is that one can enhance security without the negative impact on privacy," said Jens Grossklags from Pennsylvania State University in the US.

These leaders could be politicians and leaders of companies and groups.

"Social status shapes how privacy and security issues are settled in the real world," Grossklags added.

The findings were presented yesterday at the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium in Amsterdam in the Netherlands.