Majority of Internet Users Expect Data Breaches as AI Content Drives Account Deletions, Incogni Survey Shows

More than half of internet users now view personal data breaches as inevitable, while synthetic Artificial Intelligence content and surveillance tracking are driving millions to delete social media accounts, according to new research from personal-data removal firm Incogni.

The study reveals that over 50% of participants believe their personal information will eventually be compromised, with just 11% believing their data is secure. Despite widespread anxiety—63% report distress over potential data theft and 50% regret sharing personal details online—users remain overwhelmingly hostile toward paid privacy models. Only 29% of respondents, mostly high-income earners, expressed willingness to pay for an internet free from surveillance tracking and algorithmic feeds, while 46% rejected paid alternatives.

Fatalism regarding cyber security spans all age groups. Generation X reported the highest pessimism, with 56% expecting their personal data to be hijacked, compared with 47% of Generation Z. This fatalism reflects a surging digital risk environment; the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported a record $12.5 billion in consumer cyber fraud losses in 2023, up 22% year-over-year.

Consumer distrust is increasingly aggravated by generative artificial intelligence. Almost half of respondents reported feeling less sure about distinguishing real content from online fabrications due to AI-generated images, video, and news reports. Furthermore, 27% expressed exhaustion from navigating AI content, while 27% said the surge in synthetic material makes them want to spend less time online.

Lack of platform accountability remains a major source of friction, with 25% of users troubled by the absence of legal or structural consequences for deepfake creators. Digital burnout is prompting widespread platform abandonment: 47% of participants have deleted a social media or messaging account to reduce stress and anxiety, while 41% did so over privacy concerns.

While 44% of respondents admitted to spending too much time online and 45% described their usage as balanced, Incogni compared the current flood of AI content to 1990s email spam, warning that synthetic media threatens to undermine consumer confidence across the wider web ecosystem.