App Users Unwittingly in the Spotlight: Privacy Knowledge, Concerns, Self-Efficacy, and Protection Behavior in Mobile Apps

• In Event: Emerging Problems Associated With Media Use

Abstract

Mobile apps are increasingly jeopardizing app users’ online privacy by collecting, storing, and sharing personal data disclosed via apps. However, little is known about whether app users are aware of and concerned about the data collection and usage practices of apps, whether they perceive themselves able to protect their privacy, and whether they actually engage in privacy protection. This study assesses app users’ current status of privacy knowledge, concerns, self-efficacy, and protection behavior, by surveying 1.593 app users about the 12 most popular mobile apps in a Western European country. The results demonstrated that app users know little about the data collection and usage practices of apps and that they are not very concerned about their privacy. Moreover, app users did not feel able to protect their privacy in apps and they did not engage much in privacy protection. Comparisons between apps and between differently concerned users showed that levels of privacy knowledge, concern, self-efficacy, and protection behavior may vary per app and per privacy-concerned segment.

Author

• Verena Wottrich, University of Amsterdam