Cybersecurity awareness campaigns are everywhere. In workplaces, on social media, from banks and telcos. Yet a new regional survey of 3,013 consumers across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines suggests that much of this effort may not be landing quite as intended.

The good news? People are not tuning out because they do not care. They may simply be tuning out because much of what they have seen does not feel made for them.

There is interest. So, what is missing?

Only 34% of respondents say they have encountered a cybersecurity awareness campaign or training they found useful. Another 21% have seen one but say it did not really stick. That means more than half of consumers are walking away from existing efforts without much to show for them.

But there is another number worth paying attention to. A further 34% say they have not come across this kind of content yet, but would be interested if they did. Put those groups together, and 68% of Southeast Asian consumers are either already engaged or open to engaging with cybersecurity education. Genuine disinterest sits at just 11%.

The opportunity, is not necessarily about getting people to care. It is about giving them something worth paying attention to.

Short, social and straight to the point

So, what would actually catch their attention?

Short form, social media style videos came out on top, chosen by 58% of respondents, well ahead of every other format. Real life scam or deepfake stories from other people followed at 44%, while step by step guides and checklists came in at 30%, and interactive “spot the fake” tools at 29%. In person or workplace training was the least popular option, at 18%.

This preference was consistent across most markets. Indonesia had the strongest appetite for short video content, at 65%. Even in Singapore, where it ranked lowest at 47%, it was still the most preferred format. The takeaway is fairly simple: cybersecurity education may need to look a little less like training and a little more like the content people already choose to consume.

Make it about me

Of course, format is only half the equation. Even the slickest video will struggle to land if the message feels generic.

When asked what would make a cybersecurity campaign feel genuinely relevant, respondents pointed to real stories from people like them (23%), a focus on specific threats they worry about (21%), clear language without jargon (21%) and practical steps they could take immediately (20%). Interestingly, whether the message came from a brand they already trusted mattered much less, at just 11%.

That says something important. People do not necessarily need another warning that online threats exist. They need to recognise themselves in the story, understand the risk and know exactly what to do next.

Give people a tool, not just a warning

The same thinking applies to cybersecurity tools.

Real time scam detection, such as something that flags a suspicious text or email before someone acts on it, was the standout feature, valued by 64% of respondents. Alerts when their photos or likeness appear somewhere unexpected online followed at 44%, while the ability to quickly report or remove fake content came in at 32%.

A dashboard showing someone’s overall security status, despite being a familiar feature in security products, ranked lower at 26%. In other words, people seem to value tools that step in when something is happening, rather than simply telling them how secure they are afterwards.

The message is simple

Southeast Asian consumers are not disengaged from cybersecurity. They are listening, but they want the message to meet them where they are. Shorter. More relatable. Less jargon. More practical.

And perhaps most importantly, give people something they can do. The challenge for cybersecurity education is no longer simply getting the message out there. It is making sure the message is one people want to stop and listen to.

‍Based on findings from Milieu’s 2026 SEA Cybersecurity Awareness Study. Survey conducted between 27 July to 3 August 2026, across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. N=3,013. Interested to access the full dataset? Get in touch with us at sales@mili.eu