Researchers in the U.S. conducted a test with a great number of internet users and it showed that one in two users click on emails or Facebook messages from unknown users.

In the first study, researchers used first names to address people they tested. In the second study, they didn’t use first names but they gave users more specific information about message content and what photos represent. In Facebook messages they sent, they used public profiles and photos, and also messages without photos and containing very little information. Every study showed different results. In this research, 56 percent of email users and 38 percent of Facebook users clicked on the links. In the second study, the percentage of email users who clicked was lower, only 20 percent, while at the same time, the percentage of Facebook users was larger than in the previous study, 42 percent.

How dangerous is this curiosity?

After the study, all test participants filled out a questionnaire in which they were asked about internet security awareness. What was shocking is that 78 percent of them were well aware of the security risks. This questionnaire also showed that many participants were not honest in their answers. Only 20 percent of tested users stated that they actually clicked on the link, but when researchers looked at the real clicks, they found that 45 percent of them clicked on the links. Of course, these results may be due to users simply forgetting that they clicked on the links.

Further questions asked users why they clicked on the links, the most of them answered that the reason is curiosity. They wanted to see the photos or possibly find interesting content. Other users answered that they knew the person with that name or visited someplace where they met someone they didn’t know previously.

On the other hand, one in two users who didn’t click on the link stated that they didn’t click because they didn’t know the sender. Five percent answered that the reason why they didn’t click is that they wanted to protect other people by not looking at photos that were not meant for them to see.

Eventually, what is the conclusion of this research? This research shows that everyone could be made to click if those who want people to click the plan and execute everything in the right way. Total security does not exist. In the future, further research and education will be required to make users and companies more aware of the dangers of the internet.