PC Tools™ recently announced the findings of its Keep Internet Security Simple (KISS) survey, which was conducted by Harris Interactive as a national random phone poll of 1,012 U.S. adults. The results, which were revealed with the launch of PC Tools 2011 protection and performance products, demonstrate that there is a growing desire for being "plugged in," or connected, all the time no matter what the occasion. With online usage up across the country, Americans want simple solutions for online security and computer maintenance.

"While some of these results may seem amusing, they show that staying connected is a very serious issue to many, no matter what the circumstance," said Stephanie Edwards, Vice President of WW Sales and Marketing, PC Tools. "It is also noteworthy how we entrust our computers and the Internet with our most intimate details--even if we don’t have the time or inclination to worry about computer maintenance or safety. Because Americans are interacting with the Internet everywhere and at all times, we need protection and performance tools that are effective, affordable and above all, simple. PC Tools has listened to its customers and is providing tools that are built sharp and made simple."

While more Americans are now online than ever before, attitudes about the propriety of staying "plugged in" through smart phones, PDA’s and handheld computers depend more on the formality of the public setting rather than the nature of the event itself. For example:

1. More Americans believe it is acceptable to be "plugged in" while honeymooning (29%) than during a wedding (6%) or a religious service (8%).

2. More Americans believe it is acceptable to be "plugged in" during dinner at home with family and friends (41%) than when dining at a fancy restaurant (26%).

3. Even though Americans spend more time online than ever before, an overwhelming majority of them still want privacy when it comes to their own computer.

4. 79% of all Americans want to keep the files or documents on their personal computers private from others, including their children (39%), parents (26%), spouse or significant other (17%), co-workers (48%), boss (42%), and friends (40%).

5. 45% of Americans would be embarrassed about their friends or family seeing certain files or documents on their personal or handheld computer, smart phone, or PDA, with men more concerned than women about others seeing the websites they have visited (18% vs. 12%, respectively).

Despite the frequent warnings in today’s society, nearly one in three Americans (32%) would be willing to risk downloading a harmful virus, spyware, or other threat by visiting a potentially suspicious website or link. Adults say they would be tempted by a friend’s link or posting on a social network, gaming websites, a fantasy sports website promising the best statistics, pornography sites, entertainment gossip websites, gambling websites, websites promising a great once-in-a-lifetime deal, and of course, websites featuring a naked celebrity.

While more than 9 in 10 adults (93%) say they own a personal computer, most (76%) would rather perform chores or other unpleasant activities than clean their computer’s registry in order to prevent crashes and improve speed. Those unpleasant chores and tasks preferred over registry cleaning include: doing laundry (54%); balancing a checkbook (47%); changing a baby’s diaper (43%); going to the dentist (34%); waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (20%); being stuck in traffic (19%); or getting a colonoscopy (12%).

Simplicity: A Major Concern Among Consumers

The KISS survey found that simplicity was a concern for an overwhelming majority of Americans. For example, 80% of adults say that, as they consider what technology, electronic devices, or software they would like to receive for the upcoming holiday season, it is now equally or more important than in previous years that a technology or electronic device is easy to use. While most adults say computer software (71%) has become easier to use over the past five years, even more adults say the same about the internet (83%), digital cameras (78%), or even cell/smart phones (80%) when it comes to ease of use.

"We listened to our customers and developed these advanced and powerful, yet simplified tools, that get the job done without all the fluff," said Edwards. To address these pressing consumer needs and solve these perceived complicated computer problems, PC Tools announced today its broadest portfolio ever. The five products include its new line of protection tools (PC Tools™ Internet Security 2011, PC Tools Spyware Doctor™ 2011, PC Tools Spyware Doctor™ with AntiVirus 2011), plus their performance tools (PC Tools Registry Mechanic™ 2011 and the debut of PC Tools™ Performance Toolkit 2011).

Harris Methodology

This survey was conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of PC Tools. All data collection was done by telephone within the United States from August 12-15, 2010 among 1,012 adults ages 18 and older. Results were weighted for age, sex, geographic region, and race where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Supporting Resources:

1. PC Tools representatives are available for interviews and briefings

2. Full PC Tools poll survey and results are available upon request