USA Today Tech Report - June 20, 2000 Copyright © USA Today

Consumer trust is taking a beating on the Internet due to rising concern over viruses and other types of cybercrime, according to a new poll of 1,000 people conducted by Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, and sponsored by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA). The poll finds that 61 percent of those surveyed say they are less likely to make an e-commerce transaction due to fears about cybercrime, and 62 percent say security protections for consumers on the Internet are insufficient. "[Consumers] are concerned about viruses, denial-of-service attacks, theft of identity, and other criminal actions," says ITAA President Harris Miller. The Justice Department contends that incidents of cybercrime are vastly underreported because businesses are fearful of stoking consumer fears about Internet security. Meanwhile, Attorney General Janet Reno addressed the issue of cybercrime yesterday during a one-day summit on the topic. Reno urged industry leaders to begin reporting incidents of cybercrime to law enforcement officials.

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