Around 41 percent of Canadians have named Facebook as “the most toxic site they use,” according to a new study from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).
Thirty-eight percent of Canadians have also ranked Facebook as the most addictive social media platform. The study also found that less than two-thirds of Canadians indicated that they felt safe from harassment on Facebook.
“When Canadians are asked how safe they feel from online harassment when using specific social media sites or apps, 83 percent of Canadians using WhatsApp, and 81 percent using LinkedIn, feel at least somewhat safe,” the study notes.
Twitter and Facebook generated the lowest feelings of safety, with 65 percent saying they felt safe on Twitter and only 63 percent on Facebook.
Interestingly, three in 10 Canadians say they have been reluctant to use social media or participate in an online discussion because they are concerned about harassment.
Further, the study outlines that 66 percent percent of respondents said they spend at least one hour per day streaming videos or audio online. A quarter said they spend three to four hours a day doing the same.
“Netflix remains the most popular subscriber-based content provider amongst Canadians, on par with last year’s 53 percent of respondents saying they are subscribers. Amazon Prime Video follows in second with 24 percent subscribing, then Spotify in third with 16 per cent subscribing, and Crave TV in fourth with 13 percent,” the study reads.
Interestingly, one-third of Canadians say they are not subscribing to any online content provider. However, about one in ten Canadians admitted to intentionally pirating movies or TV content online, with those 18-34 most likely to say they have at 24 percent.
Unsurprisingly, the study found that there has been a jump in Canadians ordering food online amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-one percent of respondents said that they ordered food online in 2020, compared to 27 percent in 2019.
In terms of Canadians trusting their devices, 37 percent of respondents said they think their smartphones listen to them through the microphone without their permission.
When it comes to voice assistants, seven in 10 Canadians said they say “please” and “thank you” to their voice-activated assistant, while one-third said they have sworn at them.
The survey was conducted between March 24 and 31st and is based on responses from 2,000 Canadians. The survey sample is weighted proportionate to population by province, age and gender.
Image credit: Canadian Internet Registration Authority
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