Aussies share their phone with their partners, but nearly half delete content they would rather keep private

A new report into smartphone sharing has found that while the majority of Australians share their phone with their partner, almost half (40%) are deleting content to maintain their privacy, while nearly a third (28%) turn off their location services at certain points.

These findings form part of new research funded by ACCAN and authored by Professor Molly Dragiewicz, Dr Jeffrey Ackerman, and Marianne Haaland from Griffith University titled Smartphone Sharing With Intimate Partners.

The research reveals that phone sharing between partners is far more common and more complex than most cybersecurity advice suggests. While around 70% of Australians give their partner access to their phone, younger people are even more likely to do so. Although many people share devices for positive reasons such as convenience, trust, or helping each other, this habit can become dangerous if a relationship turns abusive.

Research finds that Australians use a range of practices to manage their privacy including deleting content (40%), hiding content (36%), turning off location services (28%) and locking apps (13%).

The study warns that the popular “one-user, one-device” approach to cybersecurity doesn’t reflect how people actually live. This model ignores the reality that a significant share of cybercrime happens between people who know each other - including intimate partners.

The report calls for a rethink of cybersecurity advice and device design, urging the adoption of an “Intimate Threat Model” that recognises the risks of technology-facilitated abuse while acknowledging the everyday ways Australians use their phones.

Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice Molly Dragiewicz, a lead author of the report, said that the research indicates that “Australian cybersecurity approaches need to be adjusted to better align with how people actually use their phones. Telling Australians not to share is not enough. We need to design phones and apps to better accommodate practical reasons for sharing and protect smartphone users’ security at the same time.”

ACCAN CEO Carol Bennett said that “this research shows how important it is to understand the reality of how Australians use their phones and manage potential risks. ACCAN’s Independent Grants Program is about supporting important research that gives us the evidence we need to improve technology design, policy and consumer protections.”

The Smartphone Sharing With Intimate Partners report was supported by a grant through ACCAN’s Independent Grants Program.