Privacy fears 'deterring' US web users from online shopping

Their concerns had stopped them either using online banking or shopping or posting on social media, the survey by a Department of Commerce agency said.

Asked about the activities individually, 29% of households responding said they had avoided conducting financial transactions online; 26% avoided buying goods or services; 26% avoided posting to social networks and 19% said they had stopped themselves expressing a controversial opinion on social media because of privacy concerns.