More shopping, tweeting and phishing: Canada’s digital pandemic behaviour

One-third of Canadians experienced a phishing scheme — a mode of cyberattack — during the COVID-19 pandemic, and a good portion of those people say the scam had to do with the pandemic itself.

According to a new report from Statistics Canada, 34 per cent of Canadians dealt with a phishing scam, a sort of cybercrime that seeks to obtain confidential information such as usernames, passwords and credit card information.

For many, though, the attack was very specific: Some people reported the scheme was framed in terms of getting COVID-19 test results; still others said it had to do with accessing the CERB benefit — a federal program designed to support those who’d lost their income because of the pandemic — or a potential cure for the virus.

Of those who were hit by a phishing scheme, 36 per cent experienced a loss. Mostly, this was a loss of time (86 per cent) though 13 per cent lost data and another 13 per cent lost financially.

Meanwhile, using five surveys in mid-September, Statistics Canada also asked Canadians more broadly about how they were using the internet and technology during the pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, 44 per cent of Canadians said they’d spent more money on technology — on their computers, laptops and tablets. Forty per cent spent more on their phones, 42 per cent spent more on online video streaming services.

In July, e-commerce sales increased by almost twothirds, StatCan says, and 34 per cent of Canadians spent more money on home and mobile internet connectivity.

As well, 41 per cent of Canadians said they were spending more time on social media and messaging. Just three per cent managed to spend less. In particular, those aged 15 to 34 were the most likely to have increased their usage (57 per cent) while those older than 65 (18 per cent) were the least likely.

Forty-six per cent of Canadians increased their usage of free streaming platforms such as YouTube.