Mobile users’ information privacy concerns and the role of app permission requests

Recent privacy-related incidents of mobile services have shown that app stores and providers face the challenge of mobile users’ information privacy concerns, which can prevent users from installing mobile apps or induce them to uninstall an app. In this paper, we investigate the role of app permission requests and compare the impact on privacy concerns with other antecedents of information privacy concerns, i.e., prior privacy experience, computer anxiety, and perceived control. To test these effects empirically, we conducted an online survey with 775 participants. Results of our structural equation modeling show that prior privacy experience, computer anxiety, and perceived control have significant effects on privacy concerns. However, concerns for app permission requests have approximately twice as much predictive value than the other factors put together to explain mobile users’ overall information privacy concerns. We expect that our findings can provide a theoretical contribution for future mobile privacy research as well as practical implications for app stores and providers.     

Self-disclosure in mobile payment applications: Common and differential effects of personal and proxy control enhancing mechanisms

This study seeks to examine consumers’ self-disclosure in mobile payment (MP) applications by highlight the value of personal and proxy control enhancing mechanisms: perceived effectiveness of privacy setting and perceived effectiveness of privacy policy. To empirically validate the model, we conducted two quantitative survey studies in the same research inquiry. The empirical results suggest that perceived benefits, perceived effectiveness of privacy setting, perceived effectiveness of privacy policy, and perceived risks together predict perceived value and psychological comfort, which further determine consumers’ self-disclosure in MP applications. This study contributes to the information privacy literature by highlighting personal and proxy control enhancing mechanisms to promote consumers’ self-disclosure in MP applications.     

Design and performance attributes driving mobile travel application engagement

Increasing people are using mobile applications (apps) for information and activities related to their travel and tourism. Therefore, customer engagement (customer attraction and retention) with mobile travel applications becomes extremely important for travel-related companies. However, there is little empirical research on what factors may drive customers’ engagement of using mobile travel apps. This study proposes a research framework, based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) model, to explore how and to what extent two types of app attributes (i.e., app design and app performance attributes) stimulate travel apps engagement. Based on a user acceptance testing (UAT testing) of a real travel app development project, the study uses survey data from 804 tourists to validate the proposed research model. The results reveal different effectiveness of app design and app performance attributes, and demonstrate that two app design features (i.e., user interface attractiveness and privacy/security) and three app performance attributes (i.e., compatibility, ease of use, and relative advantages) are important drivers of users’ behavioral engagement of mobile travel apps. Further, psychological engagement and three types of benefit perception (i.e., hedonic benefit, utilitarian benefit, and social benefit) serially mediate the relationships. The results can be used to improve the related mobile app engagement research and the mobile travel app design.     

Unfolding the popularity of video conferencing apps – A privacy calculus perspective

Video conferencing (VC) applications (apps) have surged in popularity as an alternative to face-to-face communications. Although VC apps offer myriad benefits, it has caught much media attention owing to concerns of privacy infringements. This study examines the key determinants of professionals’ attitude and intentions to use VC apps in the backdrop of this conflicting duality. A conceptual research model is proposed based on theoretical foundations of privacy calculus and extended with conceptualizations of mobile users’ information privacy concerns (MUIPC), trust, technicality, ubiquity, as well as theoretical underpinnings of social presence theory. Structural equation modeling is used to empirically test the model using data collected from 484 professionals. The study offers insights regarding the trade-offs that professionals are willing to make in the face of information privacy concerns associated with VC apps. Based on the findings, the study emphasizes the promotion of privacy protection at the organizational level, control mechanisms that motivate employees to actively engage in privacy protection behavior, and a multi-faceted approach for data transparency within the VC app platforms.     

移动学习用户隐私信息披露行为实证研究

[目的/意义]通过构建移动学习用户隐私信息披露行为影响因素的理论模型,探究移动学习用户隐私行为的影响关系,以提高用户隐私信息披露意愿和对隐私信息的控制能力。[方法/过程]本文通过对隐私信息披露文献的查阅,运用问卷调查和实证研究相结合的方法,从行为态度、主观规范和行为控制3个方面分析了移动学习用户隐私信息披露行为,利用结构方程对提出的假设进行分析验证。[结果/结论]数据研究结果表明,隐私信息披露意愿对隐私信息披露行为有正向影响,感知移动学习收益性、移动学习用户社会影响、隐私控制自我效能和感知移动学习便利性对隐私信息披露意愿呈正向影响,而感知移动学习风险性则对隐私信息披露意愿呈负向影响。本研究能够帮助移动学习平台开发商更好地收集信息,为用户定制个性化的服务。[局限]研究的调查对象覆盖面较窄,对年龄、性别等因素之间的关系缺乏深入地分析。     

基于情绪中介的信息安全保护行为研究

人们在享受移动设备和服务的同时往往忽视信息保护,从而导致隐私泄露等信息安全问题。本研究整合保护动机理论和预期后悔理论,探讨驱动个人保护动机产生的认知和情绪要素。采用问卷调查法收集240份有效样本,并通过结构方程模型进行检验。结果表明隐私关注是保护动机产生的重要影响要素,担忧情绪部分中介隐私关注与保护动机之间的关系;而感知规避能力与保护动机之间的关系被预期后悔情绪完全中介。     

Intention to disclose personal information via mobile applications: A privacy calculus perspective

This study aimed to investigate the issue of consumer intention to disclose personal information via mobile applications (apps). Drawing on the literature of privacy calculus theory, this research examined the factors that influence the trade-off decision of receiving perceived benefits and being penalized with perceived risks through the calculus lens. In particular, two paths of the direct effects on perceived benefits and risks that induce the ultimate intention to disclose personal information via mobile apps were proposed and empirically tested. The analysis showed that self-presentation and personalized services positively influence consumers’ perceived benefits, which in turn positively affects the intention to disclose personal information. Perceived severity and perceived control serve as the direct antecedents of perceived risks that negatively affect the intention of consumers to disclose personal information. Compared with the perceived risks, the perceived benefits more strongly influence the intention to disclose personal information. This study extends the literature on privacy concerns to consumer intention to disclose personal information by theoretically developing and empirically testing four hypotheses in a research model. Results were validated in the mobile context, and implications and discussions were presented.     

A meta-analysis to explore privacy cognition and information disclosure of internet users

Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study identifies the differences between perceived privacy risks and privacy concern. Furthermore, the study analyses how perceived privacy risks and privacy concerns affect the disclosure intention and the actual information disclosure behavior of Internet users. In addition, the study discusses the moderating effects of platform types, from the perspective of privacy elaboration likelihood. By applying meta-analyses and SEM on 104 independent studies with 42,256 samples from existing empirical studies, we attempt to systematically reveal the relationship between privacy cognition and information disclosure. The results show that perceived privacy risks can significantly reduce personal information disclosure intention, as well as actual information disclosure behavior. However, privacy concerns only affect disclosure intention, but do not have a significant effect on actual information disclosure behavior. The study also verified that platform types have moderating effects on the privacy decision making of Internet users. The findings yield important and useful implications, both for research and for practice.     

A bidirectional perspective of trust and risk in determining factors that influence mobile app installation

The purpose of this research is to consider how trust in and perceived risk of a mobile marketplace impact a consumer before installing a mobile application. In particular, trust is considered from the perspective of institutionalized trust, where consumers faced with ignorance rely on institutionalized mechanisms for personal safety. A bidirectional research model is presented based on trust and perceived risk as antecedents to the intent to install a mobile application. Data is collected from a survey of 214 participants and is analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results suggest that institutional loyalty plays a significant role in consumers’ intent to install mobile apps. Trust and its antecedent, security, had strong significant positive relationships with the intention to install mobile apps, while risk and its antecedent, privacy, had weak and insignificant relationships. The bidirectional model’s relationship between trust and risk was also insignificant in both directions, further suggesting that perception of risk is an insignificant factor in the intent to install mobile apps.     

Examining m-coupon redemption intention among consumers: A moderated moderated-mediation and conditional model

The low redemption rate of coupons presents a challenge for marketers and scholars. While numerous studies have endorsed the potential of mobile (m)-coupons, not much is known about the consumer’s intention to redeem such coupons. This study uses Value-based Adoption Model (VAM) to explain the redemption intention of m-coupons among coupon redeemers. Apart from studying coupon proneness and perceived convenience, this study empirically examined perceived privacy risk (PPR) (first moderator) and repeat usage behavior (second moderator) for m-coupon redemption intention. One of the key findings from 637 m-coupon users suggest that high repeat usage behavior of m-coupon redemption diminishes the influence of PPR. This suggest that marketers should offer a seamless end to end customer journey to increase m-coupon redemption. The other managerial implications have also been highlighted in the study.     

ICT环境下个体隐私感知与保护行为研究

信息通讯技术(ICT)的迅速发展使得人们可以通过微博、即时通信软件(IM)、手机终端应用及社交网络(SNS)来发布个人真实信息,网络将以往零散的碎片信息整合成完整的个体信息,造成隐私泄露现象日益严重。本文总结了个体隐私泄露的渠道和类别,通过访谈研究,分析了个体隐私感知风险以及个体隐私保护行为特征:个体特征差异(受教育水平、网络经验)导致隐私关注差异;信息关联及商业价值在不同程度上与隐私关注的变化相关;隐私关注对感知隐私风险产生影响;个体隐私保护行为(常规保护、技术保护)因隐私风险感知不同而发生变化。在此基础上,构建了个体隐私感知与保护行为模型。     

基于WoS的网络隐私计量分析

通过对相关文献的回顾,本文对国际网络隐私研究进行了计量分析,发现现有的研究主题集中在"基于移动位置服务的隐私问题研究"、"隐私保护算法研究"、"隐私保护技术研究"、"云计算的隐私安全研究"、"网络隐私权限控制研究"、"社交网站和电子商务中的用户隐私态度与行为研究"、"青少年敏感信息的隐私与安全保护研究"、"数据公开共享策略与国家治理研究"8个方面。研究发现当前研究中存在"利用数据纵向分析网络隐私主题随时间发展变化的研究较少"、"对于一些发展中国家的隐私问题关注度较低"、"国家的治理与业界的隐私政策相对独立缺乏联系"等问题,"大数据时代移动信息和社交信息挖掘过程中的隐私问题"、"在线医疗的隐私问题"等是未来研究值得关注的领域。     

Internet users’ perceptions of information sensitivity – insights from Germany

With the ever-increasing collection of user data, online privacy becomes an urgent matter for users and research across borders. The perception of information sensitivity is central to privacy attitudes and behaviors in different usage contexts. In an online questionnaire, n = 592 German internet users evaluated how sensitive they perceive 40 different data types. The German sensitivity evaluations revealed in this study are compared to results from the US and Brazil (Markos et al., 2017), in order to understand the cultural impact on evaluations. Additionally, we analyze how attitudes and demographic characteristics of the German sample influence the perception of sensitivity on an individual level. Some distinct differences in sensitivity perception between Germany, Brazil, and the US can be observed, but the rank orders of sensitivity of data types is very similar between the countries, indicating that there is a consensus on what constitutes sensitivity across nations. On an individual level, disposition to value privacy, risk propensity, and education level influence the perception of sensitivity. The findings contribute to an understanding of how to design information and communication strategies to inform internet users how to manage their data carefully.     

Android手机安全防护系统

Android成为活跃用户量最大的移动终端操作系统的同时,其安全问题日益明显。特别是联系人、短信、照片与我们的个人隐私紧密相连,一旦手机被盗,这些隐私都被违法分子掌握利用,所造成的损失将是无法估计的。文章研究文件监控、手机防盗、短信加密等三方面的安全防护以保障用户的个人隐私和财产安全,为Android手机用户提供了有效的安全保障,并具有极大的应用潜力。     

Differences in mobile health app use: A source of new digital inequalities?

This article provides a more differentiated understanding of mobile health consumers, and considers whether health app use may contribute to new digital inequalities. It focuses on factors associated with mobile health app use, and identifies which factors explain the use of different types of health apps. Data from a large representative sample of the Dutch population (N = 1,079) show that mobile health app users were generally younger, higher educated, and had higher levels of e-health literacy skills than non-users. Interestingly, different usage patterns were found for specific types of health apps. Theory and policy implications are discussed.     

隐私视角下移动健康管理服务使用意愿的实证研究

［目的/意义］健康信息风险和用户隐私保护是健康大数据和移动健康时代的重要议题,从信息隐私和隐私计算视角,探究移动健康管理服务使用意愿的影响因素具有重要意义。［方法/过程］本文在分析移动健康管理服务特殊性和回顾相关研究的基础上,从信息隐私和隐私计算的视角,通过模型构建、问卷调查和假设验证等实证分析过程,重点探究信息隐私等相关因素对移动健康管理服务用户行为意向的影响。［结果/结论］研究表明：显著影响移动健康管理服务使用意愿的因素有感知收益和信任;隐私顾虑对使用意愿的影响并不显著,但并不意味着用户隐私保护不重要;此外,感知隐私控制是重要的心理要素,正向影响感知收益,负向影响隐私顾虑。对移动健康管理服务商来说,应该从信息隐私保护、感知收益提升、个人隐私控制强化以及用户信任建设等方面着手,从而促进移动健康管理服务的用户使用。     

非授权信息使用与信息脆弱性、转换行为的关系研究—— 隐私保护措施的调节作用

基于企业非授权信息使用在手机购物APP情境下对消费者的影响,根据收集的269份消费者问卷,对提出的概念模型与研究假设进行检验。研究结果显示,非授权信息使用会增加消费者感知的信息脆弱性,而信息脆弱性则会促进消费者的转换行为;另外,信息设置有效性和信息政策有效性都可以减弱信息脆弱性与转换行为之间的正向关系。研究不仅促进相关理论研究的发展,同时也为手机购物APP企业如何管理消费者信息与隐私提供策略建议。     

Mobile technology identity and self-efficacy: Implications for the adoption of clinically supported mobile health apps

Despite smartphone applications (apps) being key enablers of telemedicine, telehealth, and self-monitoring, adoption issues persist for mobile healthcare (mHealth) apps. This study diverged from the traditional adoption approach and drew on more innovative theories to predict the intentions of patients for adopting apps supported by clinics. More specifically, technology identity literature was explored to make this prediction and the study surveyed 292 patients who were seated in the waiting room of a local clinic. The results suggested that perceived mobile technology identity (MTI), perceived related IT experience, and perceived self-efficacy positively influences patients’ perceived intentions to adopt mHealth apps provided by clinics or hospitals. Furthermore, the results suggested that perceived related IT experience positively influences users perceived self-efficacy and perceived MTI. However, education was found to negatively influence patients’ perceived intentions to use mHealth apps. This study contributes to the growing literature on the use of these apps in trying to elevate the quality of patients’ lives. Moreover, there are implications for mHealth-app designers who are trying to make healthcare services accessible via smartphones.     

The non-monetary benefits of mobile commerce: Extending UTAUT2 with perceived value

Consumers can conduct mobile commerce via their smartphones. They can search for products and when ready, they pay and have the products delivered to their homes. By sharing personal information, they receive faster and more customized service. Because of the risk of loss of privacy, consumers need to balance their privacy concerns against the perceived value of enhanced mobile commerce. In this empirical study, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) is modified where perceived value replaces price value to represent the value of an IT artifact that has no direct costs attributable to it. The framework is extended to include constructs from the privacy calculus. In addition, the construct of personal innovativeness is added as a moderator with the anticipation that owners of smartphones who are more personally innovative will be more willing to share information. From an empirical study of Canadian smartphone owners, the results show that perceived privacy concerns influence perceived value and that intention to use is significantly influenced by hedonic motivation and perceived value.     

信息隐私关注、信任与智能手机用户的个人信息安全行为意向

[目的/意义]信息隐私关注和信任是影响智能手机用户的个人信息安全行为的重要因素,对智能手机用户的信息隐私关注和信任与其个人信息安全行为意向关系的探讨有助于更好地理解智能手机用户的信息安全行为。[方法/过程]本文引入以往经验变量,构建了智能手机用户信息隐私关注、信任与其信息安全行为意向之间的作用模型,通过调查问卷收集数据,并利用SmartPLS2.0进行验证。[结果/结论]研究发现：智能手机用户的信息隐私关注对其信息安全行为意向具有正向作用;用户对智能手机生产商和服务商的信任在信息隐私关注和信息安全行为意向之间起到中介作用;智能手机用户信息安全方面的以往经验对其信息隐私关注、信任和信息安全行为意向起正向作用。