With the WikiLeaks affair and broader hacking incidents related to it highlighting the potential for disruption of the Internet, Gallup's 2010 crime survey finds that computer-related crime is a growing problem for average Americans. Eleven percent of U.S. adults report that they or a household member was the victim of a computer or Internet crime on their home computer in the past year, up from the 6% to 8% levels found in the previous seven years.
Of the nine types of crime Gallup asked Americans about in the Oct. 7-10 survey, having money or property stolen received the highest mentions, at 16%, followed by having a home, car, or other property vandalized, at 14%. The trend for these has been fairly stable in recent years.