Thaindian News

London, April 19 (IANS) Worrying about online reputation, more than half of UK adults would erase whatever they have ever posted on the net about themselves.

A staggering 35 percent believe they could never consider a career in politics due to damaging personal material online.

And nearly a quarter of people admit to having posted a photo or personal information that they wouldn’t want an employer to see, according to a study by security firm Norton.

Sherly Seitz, an internet security expert at Norton, said: “We’re posting more personal information online than ever before but our attitude to privacy still seems lax.”

“Once a message or an image is out there, it’s very difficult to contain or take back. In other words, think before you post,” added Seitz, the Daily Mail reports.

Researchers questioned 1,004 people aged 18 and above about the amount of their personal information publicly available online and how it could affect them personally.

The study reveals a sense of unease among Britons about their online reputation, with over 50 percent saying they would gladly hit the ‘reset’ button to delete all information about them online.

Some 40 percent admitted to not actively protecting their reputation and personal information on the Internet.

Of these, 59 percent ‘never thought it was an issue’, while 20 percent wouldn’t know where to start.

While some are cavalier about their online profiles, others worry that friends might inadvertently ruin their future prospects.

Twenty-seven percent of respondents said they didn’t know if someone has posted something about them, without their consent, that could possibly damage their reputation.