Brits prioritising convenient login over security online, Mintel

44% of Brits use the same password for multiple accounts, according to Mintel research involving 2,000 people.

And it seems that youngsters are the nation’s worst culprits, with three in five 16-24s guilty of this. This group are the most likely to opt for convenience rather than thinking about the most secure method (53% of 16-24s compared to 47% of Brits overall).

When it comes to remembering passwords, 60% of Brits rely on their memory. Meanwhile, one in four opt for a physical note and 17% use autofill on the web browser. Overall, two in five people find it difficult to keep track of online security across their connected devices. Adrian Reynolds, Senior Technology Analyst at Mintel, says: “There is a clear trade-off between security and convenience for many, but using the same or similar passwords for multiple accounts removes the need for keeping physical or digital notes that could be hacked.”

“A multitude of social media accounts and apps across a wide range of devices is driving young consumers to prioritise login convenience over security. The convenience factor is providing strong growth opportunities for the biometric market. Smartphone manufacturers are increasingly using it to unlock phones, while developers are using the technology to make apps and mobile payments more secure. Fingerprint scanning and facial recognition will increasingly be utilised in other devices such as laptops to boost security without compromising convenience.”