The vast majority of millennials favour convenience over safety when using the internet.
This is according to a new study conducted by SureID at SXSW this year, which found that 83% of millennials would choose convenience.
Despite this, 96% of those surveyed said they were interested in being able to verify their identity online – ensuring it was secure against hackers and not being used by anyone else.
The research questioned attendees aged between 18 and 37 – 43% of whom were male, 55% female and 2% who didn’t disclose their gender – over two days at the festival in Austin, Texas.
The survey was conducted in conjunction with a SXSW panel titled “The Future of You: Identity Tomorrow,” featuring SureID CEO & founder Steve Larson and DocuSign’s Tom Gonser.
Larson said: “Proving identities is the secret ingredient in the successful evolution of the sharing economy. Safety and convenience are not mutually exclusive and must work hand in hand.
“The survey findings highlight that we are on the verge of seeing a transformation of how millennials view their identities, and the companies and people they interact with on a daily basis.”
Other findings include that 60% of respondents valued time over money and safety, and 70% felt more secure interacting with someone if they could verify their identity.
A further 79% said they were less likely to buy from someone, online or offline, who cannot prove they are who they say they are.
At this year’s SXSW, Tinder co-founder Sean Rad revealed the dating app had made 250,000 transgender matches since expanding its gender options last year.
Online and offline dating service The Inner Circle also debuted its new matching algorithm, which features a “pre-calculated profile score”, at a singles party on 14th March.
Find out more here.