Stop Preaching Cyber-Abstinence to a Chronically Online World

The average person spends almost a quarter of their day online, toggling between at least a dozen apps and platforms. With the amount of tools being used online increasing each week, it’s almost impossible for the average person to proceed safely and securely across each of these places. Though many try, navigating the endless list of security measures can feel overwhelming. Consumers must minimize data sharing, strengthen protections, and spot scammers, all while weighing the cost of new security tools and keeping pace with emerging technologies that continually change how attackers access their accounts and wallets.

Most of us recognize that we should take more actions to protect ourselves online. Yet, the issue is the messaging that encourages and motivates people to take action often fails to appeal to them and change their behavior. 

Having spent years in cybersecurity researching consumer behaviors, I’ve seen firsthand how those who care most about warning users about safety online default to complex, shaming, irrelevant, or fear-based messaging. These tactics overwhelm consumers and lead to less actions. We’re on the verge of losing consumers entirely as many of them have come to the conclusion that there isn’t anything to be done, and it’s too late to protect themselves. Thankfully the data shows there is still hope: 65% of consumers believe they can take steps to protect their data online, while 35% believe their data will remain vulnerable regardless of what they do. Platforms should bear more responsibility for consumer protection, despite competing business priorities and inadequate policy enforcement. Consumers have a role to play, and better messaging can drive meaningful behavior change.

In my work over the past many years in kickstarting a nationwide public service awareness campaign, Take9, we constantly review how we can change people’s behaviors and actions online to protect them from a range of digital threats–along with advocating for policies that protect consumers accounts and data, while working with corporations to build in safer features by default. Though our focus began with cyber threats and with the basis that our nation’s security leans in part on individual security, our testing shows consumers are far more concerned about fraud and scams (62%) than cyberattacks (16%). Therefore, we refocused our work on immediate, relatable actions that protect people and their wallets while building digital skills they can apply across platforms and threats.

If we want to empower consumers to stay safe online, we must move away from threats and shame, which often lead to avoidance and make people less likely to report scams. In a 2026 report on the State of Scams in the United States by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance, only 4% of those experiencing a scam in the last 12 months in the USA reported it to authorities, but a whopping 25% of individuals who experienced a scam cite that they didn’t report it because they were ashamed. Normalizing how frequently Americans encounter and fall for scams can reduce that shame and encourage reporting, helping platforms stop scams before they reach others.

Some ideas on how to do this: replace long, complex lists that overwhelm consumers with three to five high-impact actions that apply across platforms. As a security trainer, I focus on a few actionable solutions like implementing software updates as soon as they are available, enabling multi-factor authentication on accounts, slowing down online to spot and report malicious links, and creating strong, unique passwords – or better yet, using a passkey or a password manager. 

We also need pathways that guide consumers from awareness to behavior change, reinforced by trusted messengers who can encourage actions that protect individuals and their communities. It’s easy to argue that people are aware they shouldn’t click on that suspicious link online or pay money to unverified strangers, but with technology changing and new vectors like celebrity deepfakes, voice cloning AI scams, or advanced social engineering tactics, we need to ensure people learn the transferable skills that can be applied to protect them despite the continuously changing landscape. While giving those in positions of trust, such as family members, peers, leaders, community figures, educators, local businesses, and friends; the ability to educate, enforce, and actionize better behaviors. 

Lastly, by understanding that abstinence isn’t the solution and instead realizing that equipping people with the tools and skills on how to stay safe in the places they want to show up online. Advising consumers not to engage with strangers ignores how often people use the internet to form relationships, collaborate, and build community. Telling people to not engage at all may lead them to dismiss all safety precautions. Focusing on potential warning signs across digital engagements and relationships, while providing easy steps to assess content or report gives people transferable skills they can use across their digital lives.

For the Take9 campaign, we identify that scams and frauds can happen to anyone – even the smartest person in the room. Our approach assumes that most people will fall for a scam but refuses to shame or place blame on victims. It’s important to our team that our branding and messaging stay playful and upbeat. Our messaging also focuses on one simple action that is not technical and within everyone’s reach, slowing down online. Pausing gives people time to make better decisions and spot red flags. We also use our platforms to help audiences recognize and respond to those warning signs, so they can engage safely rather than leave platforms altogether. Though we encourage people to share the campaign with their communities and be their trusted messenger, we also enlisted the help of Sesame Street Workshop’s expert counter, Count Von Count, as a trusted messenger to boost our mission while making it memorable. 

Underpinning all of this is knowing your audience and what will motivate them to move from awareness to action. Each audience has different behaviors online, faces different harms, is on different platforms, has different trusted messengers, and needs various resources. Based on 2026 research from Consumer Reports, data shows that race, ethnicity, and income level affect how likely you are to be scammed and lose money. With 26% of Black Americans having fallen victim to a digital scam, versus 17% of their White American counterparts, and 24% of those making less than $30,000 falling victim to a digital scam versus 15% of those who make $100,000 or more. Age can also play a role with the same research showing  35% of those 18-29 years old have had at least one account taken over online, versus 25% of those over 60 years old. 

We all have a role in protecting ourselves online, and while we need better policies and corporate measures that put user safety first – there’s a lot that consumers can do to protect themselves and that we, as an industry, can do to improve on the language to meet them where they are at. Meeting people where they are means listening to what they care about, starting with simple and easy steps that empower them to take actions that are reinforced by people they trust. Getting the messaging right means we can do a better job of helping people stay safe online.