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This is how careless we are with our smartphones

Updated Dec 19th, 2018 8:45PM EST
smartphone infographic

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A new infographic from gadget insurance company Protect Your Bubble (via VentureBeat) shows the “top 10 most dangerous things people do with their smartphones,” revealing various smartphone-related activities that either threaten the user’s privacy or the handset’s integrity if not done right.

Some activities, such as not placing the phone in a protective case (25% of users don’t use one) or not purchasing smartphone insurance (60% of customers don’t get insurance when buying a new phone) will not endanger other aspects of a smartphone’s user life other than the increasing the risk of physical damage done to the phone.

But other things done on a smartphone have more implications including privacy breach, identity theft and regular home burglaries to name just a few of the potential unwanted consequences.

According to the infographic, 62% of smartphone owners don’t have a password for their devices, and 32% have private passwords for banking and financial websites saved on their phones. Some users even click on links inside fraudulent emails, while other share personal data with fraudsters that call them pretending to represent their banks – such instances may lead to identity theft cases.

Furthermore, 20% of teenagers send naked pictures of themselves via text, and 17% of recipients will forward those images to a third person. When it comes to other kinds of photo sharing, the infographic warns users against posting photos while on vacation, as it could lead to their homes being burglarized while they’re away, and advises them to remove location data from images when sharing them online.

The full infographic follows below.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.