Revenge of the ex now going online, warns McAfee

McAfee survey reveals 77% adults had their personal content leaked without permission

As 96% of Indians share intimate photos with their partners believing it is safe, they are also at high risk of personal information being exposed online. This happens mostly as a result of broken relationships, as three in ten ex-boyfriends or girlfriends threaten to expose risqué photos of their ex online, says a survey.

This survey conducted by antivirus company McAfee comes a few days ahead of Valentine's day. It says that 77% of adults had their personal content leaked without permission.

Behaviour that triggers leaking information online can range from lying, cheating, break-up, calling off a wedding. Posting a picture with someone else could also anger one's ex.

If an ex-partner is armed with the password of a significant other, the results could be worse. The survey says that a majority of Indians snoop and check their partners' e-mails, bank accounts and social media pages.

McAfee's 2013 love, relationships, and technology survey says that more than 73% of people surveyed have admitted to checking their significant others’ social media pages and 44% their bank accounts and nearly 72% log in to scan their partners’ emails,” said.

“Sharing passwords with your partner might seem harmless, but it often puts you at risk for a revenge of the ex situation, landing private information in a public platform for all to see. Everyone needs to be aware of the risks and take the steps to make sure their personal data is safe and secure,” said Lubna Markar, senior marketing manager, McAfee India & South Asia.