New Delhi: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, ‘digital’ work has not only become an integral part of everyday life but many people have become “a habit of being online” during this period. Cyber security company NortonLifeLock has conducted a new global study to review the online behavior of consumers while they are at home.
According to the findings from the Indian section of the study, two out of every three Indians surveyed (66 percent) said they have fallen prey to the habit of being online because of the pandemic. More than 1,000 Indian adults took part in this online study conducted by The Harris Poll. Eight out of every 10 (82 percent) of them said their time spent in front of digital screens outside of use for education and professional work increased significantly during the pandemic. On average, an adult in India spends 4.4 hours a day in front of a screen outside of professional work or education.
Indians surveyed said that smartphones are the most common device in which they spend a lot of time (84 percent).
The majority of Indians in the study (74 percent) believed that the amount of time they spend in front of a screen had a negative impact on their physical health, while more than half (55 percent) said it had a negative impact on their mental health. About 76 percent of people said that they are trying to limit the amount of time they spend in front of the screen by engaging in activities like spending time with friends.
Ritesh Chopra, Director of Sales and Region Marketing, India and SAARC Countries at NortonLifeLock, said, “It is understandable that the pandemic has increased our reliance on screens for activities that could otherwise be done offline. However, it is important for every individual to strike a healthy balance between their on-screen and off-screen time so that their health and, more importantly, the health of their children is not adversely affected.” He also said that the number and types of cyber threats have increased in the online landscape.
Chopra said, “Users should be very careful about how and where they use their connected devices. Convenience should not be more than security.” He said that the loss of personal or confidential information can have very serious consequences and it is important for parents to be aware and educate their children about the need for cyber security.
