A: Our online passwords

You know that sense of dread that fills your body when a website asks you to create a new user name, or when your company’s IT department sends another e-mail reminding you that it’s time to change your password again? Turns out you’re not alone. A recent survey commissioned by social software services company Janrain found that 38% of Americans would rather clean a toilet or come up with a plan for world peace than think of a new online password. And that’s because most of us already have five unique passwords to remember and it taxes our memory. The survey found that:

• 38% of adults would rather do household chores “like cleaning the toilet or doing the dishes” than have to come up with another user name or password.
• 38% of adults also believe it’s easier to solve world peace than to remember all their passwords.
• 58% of adults have to remember five or more unique online passwords, while 30% have 10 passwords. And 8% have to memorize at least 21 passwords.
• 37% have to ask for help remembering their user name or password at least once per month