illustration: Bing/CopilotWillingness to share data depends on age, gender, education, and place of residence. Younger individuals and those with higher education are more likely to disclose information, as are men when it comes to permanent discounts and women for one-time promotions. Residents of large cities are more cautious than those from smaller towns.
The most popular benefits that encourage individuals to provide sensitive data include:
- permanent (35%) or one-time (31%) discounts/promotions.
- free products/services (27%),
- free apps/accounts (22%),
- exclusive content (16%),
- personalized offers (15%).
What Data Do We Share and What Are the Risks?
The study by ChronPESEL.pl and the National Debt Register shows that the prospect of gaining additional benefits encourages Polish internet users to share:
- email address (80%),
- first and last name (59%),
- phone number (55%),
- residential address (33%),
- PESEL number (8%),
- identity card number (7%).
Experts warn that sharing email addresses, names, and phone numbers can create risks of phishing and account takeover.
– If this is a special email address that we use, for example, only for shopping or using services, it`s not a problem. It’s worse if we use the same address daily and have provided it, for example, to our bank – warns Bartłomiej Drozd, an expert from ChronPESEL.pl, as quoted by the NEWSERIA agency. – If an email, name, and phone number leak into the hands of cybercriminals, they may attempt to reset passwords and use recovery procedures to take over a bank account.
Despite educational campaigns, 2.4 million Poles do not see the dangers associated with sharing their PESEL number. Some mistakenly believe that blocking their PESEL protects them from all obligations.
A study conducted in April 2024 on a representative group of 1,016 Poles shows that Poles are increasingly aware of the need to protect their personal data, but there is still a need for education regarding the risks associated with sharing data, especially their PESEL number.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
New articles in section Law in media
Ai in disinformation. Operation Matryoshka and personalization of fakes
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The increasing use of artificial intelligence to generate false content and profiled disinformation are trends that will shape the disinformation landscape in the coming years, according to Dr. Wojciech Kotowicz, an expert from the University of Warmia and Mazury (UWM) in Olsztyn, Poland.
Dietary supplement ads in Poland. Who keeps influencers in check?
Newseria, KFi
One in three Polish internet users considers influencer recommendations when deciding on medicines and dietary supplements. Although promotion of such products is regulated, there are still cases of advertising that skirt the law.
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Search engines help us quickly find information, but they can also be used by cybercriminals. SEO poisoning is a tactic where attackers manipulate search engine rankings to place harmful websites at the top of search results.
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Illusory Security. Small and Medium Enterprises Easy Targets for Cybercrime
KF
35% of micro, small, and medium enterprises (SMEs) fear the theft of their employees' personal data. This comes from research conducted on behalf of ChronPESEL.pl and the National Debt Register of Poland.
Cyber Attack on a Corporate Smartphone. How to Protect Yourself
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Internet-connected mobile devices are an attractive target for cybercriminals. The key to protecting sensitive business data is employee awareness, hardware solutions, and appropriate software. This mini-guide provides a quick overview of how to protect each of these areas.
Deepfake. A Powerful New Weapon in The Information War
Krzysztof Fiedorek
One of the newest threats to the credibility of information is deepfake technology. Deepfake is a type of false video or audio material where the person in the recording appears to speak or behave in a way that does not align with reality.
What Data Google Collects. Privacy on the Internet
KF
According to a gs.statcounter.com report – May 2018, Google captures over 97% of internet users. Currently, many free applications are available to users. What does Google collect? When using the most popular search engine, we should be aware of how our data is collected and used.





























