Cybersecurity Jargon Fails to Resonate with U.S. Public

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 10, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- A new study by Kickstand, a global PR and marketing agency, reveals a significant gap in how the cybersecurity industry communicates with the general public. The research, titled "The Sneaky Cyber Translation Gap," surveyed 1,055 non-technical U.S. adults and found that 73% of respondents struggle to understand the jargon-heavy language used in cybersecurity messaging. This finding highlights the need for the industry to adopt more accessible language to effectively communicate with the public.

The study also found that 94% of respondents trust experts more when they explain cybersecurity in everyday terms. Specifically, 86% of those who consider themselves very tech-savvy are more likely to trust such explanations. This suggests that even those who are generally knowledgeable about technology benefit from clear and straightforward communication.

Another key finding from the research is that people are often unable to identify AI-generated images. While 73% of respondents said they could recognize AI-generated imagery, a real-world test showed a different story. When shown two flower photos, one real and one generated using Google Gemini, 72% of the 775 participants mistakenly identified the real photo as AI-generated, while fewer than one in four correctly identified the AI-generated image. Higher confidence made no difference, and neither did age. Gen Z was twice as likely as average to call themselves very confident, and scored 24% on the test, nearly identical to Baby Boomers at 25%.

The research also uncovered that effort is the real barrier to better cybersecurity habits. While 94% of respondents agree that strong, unique passwords are essential, only 47% use them on most accounts. Among those who do not use strong passwords, 74% say remembering multiple passwords is too difficult, and just 3% say they don't know what makes a password strong. In contrast, products change behavior more than awareness does. Only 20% set up multi-factor authentication on their own, but another 40% are glad to use it when a site or app prompts them.

The study also revealed that feeling tech-savvy does not protect people from online scams. 19% of respondents who rate themselves very tech-savvy have fallen victim to an online scam, compared with 12% overall. Additionally, worry is not stopping the adoption of AI tools. 70% use AI tools regularly, and 46% have shared personal information with one, even though 81% worry about how AI companies use that information.

Kickstand will be at the Cyber Marketing Con in Austin from November 15-18, 2026, to discuss these findings. The survey was conducted online from July 29 to August 3, 2026, with a margin of error of approximately ±3 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.