Selling fear: Marketing for cybersecurity products often leaves consumers less secure

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Doug Jacobson, Iowa State University

(THE CONVERSATION) You have likely seen multiple ads for products and services designed to make you more secure online. When you turn on your television, see online ads, or even when you get in-app notifications, you are likely to encounter cybersecurity technology marketed as the ultimate solution and the last line of defense against digital threats.

Cybersecurity is big business, and tech companies often sell their products based on fear. These campaigns are often rooted in what I call the technology vs. user cycle, a feedback loop that creates more problems than it solves.

It works like this: Cybersecurity companies often market their products using tactics that emphasize fear (“Hackers are coming for your data!”), blame (“It’s your fault if something happens!”) and complexity (“Only our advanced solution can protect you”). They perpetuate the idea that users are inherently not savvy enough to manage security independently and that the solution is to adopt the latest product or service.

As a cybersecurity researcher, I find...