A large number of Indians find it hard to resist accessing a strong, free wi-fi network with about 73 per cent saying they were willing to trade personal information to use the service, a study by software security firm Norton today said.
The charm of free wi-fi is so potent that it now plays a deciding role when choosing a hotel (82 per cent), transport hub (67 per cent), which airline to fly (64 per cent) or place to eat (62 per cent).
The report titled 'Wi-Fi Risk Report' found 51 per cent of Indian respondents saying they can't wait more than a few minutes before logging onto a wi-fi network.
About 19 per cent said they would allow access to personal e-mails and contact lists, while 22 per cent said they would allow access to personal photographs to use free wi-fi.
About 35 per cent said they would watch a three-minute advertisement to access free public wi-fi.
Interestingly, 74 per cent said they believe their personal information is safe when using public wi-fi networks.
There is a deep divide between what people think is safe when it comes to using public wi-fi versus the reality, Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager of Symantec Consumer Business Unit, said.
"What someone thinks are private on their personal device can easily be accessed by cybercriminals through unsecured wi- fi networks or even apps with privacy vulnerabilities," he added.
Norton, which offers security solutions, surveyed 15,000 respondents across 15 countries, including over 1,000 from India.
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