New research explores behavioral trends behind that 'nothing to hide' phrase. Plus: 6 ways to improve your phone privacy.

Most of us have heard the phrase, “I have nothing to hide.”

Outside of TV police dramas, we use it at home and work, too — especially in situations where we might have been accused of something.

However, according to research by data removal service Incogni, those who say they have “nothing to hide” are far more likely to have secretly spied upon someone else’s phone or laptop in public.

Published on Thursday, Incogni’s survey, which included 1,517 adult respondents in the US, highlights several interesting behavioral trends. It’s not just about the phrase itself, but the attitude of different generations toward device privacy. Here are key findings:

This study highlights an interesting contradiction — there’s nothing for me to hide, but I don’t mind looking at others’ devices, and I still want privacy. Or perhaps the saying is a knee-jerk reaction tied to the feeling that wanting privacy equals secretiveness and guilt.

Also: Incogni review: The easiest way to remove myself from the internet took seconds

In the nothing-to-hide group, for example, 39% physically cover their device cameras, a practice most common among Gen Z and Millennials. In addition, 26% of respondents say they obscure personal information when signing up for online accounts, including using fake names, dates of birth, and masked email addresses.

If we take away one thing from this survey, it’s that everyone has a right to privacy, and it shouldn’t be tied to feelings of guilt.

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