  There are indications in literature that women do not engage with security
and privacy (SP) technologies, meant to keep them safe online, in the same way
as men do. To better understand this gender gap, we conduct an online survey
with N=604 U.K. participants, to elicit SP advice source preference and usage
of SP methods and technologies. We find evidence of un-equal SP access and
participation. In particular, advice from intimate and social connections (ISC)
is more prevalent among women, while online content is preferred by men. ISC do
not closely associate with nor predict the use of SP technologies, whereas
online sources (such as online forums, reviews, specialist pages and technology
adverts) and training do. Men are also more likely to use multiple advice
sources, that enhances the likelihood of using SP technologies. Women are
motivated to approach ISC due to their perceptions of the advisor (such as IT
related expertise, experience and trustworthiness) while men approach ISC to
evaluate options and seek reassurance for their own practices. This research
raises questions about the equity of online safety opportunities and makes
recommendations.
