Sex sells, but how do you mention it tastefully?

McAfee has hit upon a brilliant way to mention sex and gain mindshare while keeping to its core business of security and educating users in the process.

As it turns out, 44% of Singapore respondents to its second "Love, Relationships & Technology" survey send or receive intimate content including video, photos, emails and messages, but only 82% of those surveyed are securing their smartphone with a password or passcode. 

There might be little to say when the majority of users are already securing their devices, but McAfee probed further and found that 42% of those surveyed also share their passwords with another individual, 62% share mobile phone content and 59% share email accounts. This becomes a little sticky if a relationship goes sour. Only 58% have asked their partner to delete the information when ending the relationship. 

As a public service announcement, McAfee advises consumers not to share passwords or confidential codes for mobile devices with others to help keep their content secure. Mobile users should also avoid using weak passwords that can be easily determined such as birthdays, numbers in a row or repeat numbers for their devices, the company said. Rather, six-digit passcodes and words translated into numbers are stronger and should be utilised. 

“It’s always a risk to share passwords with others, yet people still do. Not surprisingly then, we hear of stories where private and intimate content leaks out,” said Wahab Yusoff, Vice President, South Asia at McAfee. “People increasingly make themselves vulnerable to risks to their reputation when what is meant to be private becomes public, so it is prudent for consumers to step up their mobile security and protect themselves.”

Source: McAfee

The 2014 Love, Relationships & Technology survey, conducted for the second time globally and for the first time in Singapore, examines how adults are sharing and storing intimate data on their mobile devices, especially with current or former significant others.


Click here to read the US results.

*MSI Research conducted a total of 354 online interviews in Singapore among respondents ages 18-54. Interviews among respondents were split evenly by age and gender. The interviews were conducted from December 30, 2013 – January 16, 2014.