Mobile app users' privacy concerns: different heuristics for privacy assurance statements in the EU and China

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Hudson ◽  
Yi Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Ecological Rationality ◽  
Mobile Users ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Privacy Regulation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Validation Experiment ◽  
The Eu

PurposeAs mobile apps request permissions from users, protecting mobile users' personal information from being unnecessarily collected and misused becomes critical. Privacy regulations, such as General Data Protection Regulation in the European Union (EU), aim to protect users' online information privacy. However, one’s understanding of whether these regulations effectively make mobile users less concerned about their privacy is still limited. This work aims to study mobile users' privacy concerns towards mobile apps by examining the effects of general and specific privacy assurance statements in China and the EU.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on ecological rationality and heuristics theory, an online experiment and a follow-up validation experiment were conducted in the EU and China to examine the effects of privacy assurance statements on mobile users' privacy concerns.FindingsWhen privacy regulation is presented, the privacy concerns of Chinese mobile users are significantly lowered compared with EU mobile users. This indicates that individuals in the two regions react differently to privacy assurances. However, when a general regulation statement is used, no effect is observed. EU and Chinese respondents remain unaffected by general assurance statements.Originality/valueThis study incorporates notions from fast and frugal heuristics end ecological rationality – where seemingly irrational decisions may make sense in different societal contexts.

When the mobile app is free, the product is your personal data

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyros E. Polykalas ◽  
George N. Prezerakos
Keyword(s):  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Google Play ◽  
The Eu

Purpose Mobile devices (smartphones, tables etc.) have become the de facto means of accessing the internet. While traditional Web browsing is still quite popular, significant interaction takes place via native mobile apps that can be downloaded either freely or at a cost. This has opened the door to a number of issues related to privacy protection since the smartphone stores and processes personal data. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent of access to personal data, required by the most popular mobile apps available in Google Play store. In addition, it is examined whether the relevant procedure is in accordance with the provisions of the new EU Regulation. Design/methodology/approach The paper examines more than a thousand mobile apps, available from the Google Play store, with respect to the extent of the requests for access to personal data. In particular, for each available category in Google Play store, the most popular mobile apps have been examined both for free and paid apps. In addition, the permissions required by free and paid mobile apps are compared. Furthermore, a correlation analysis is carried out aiming to reveal any correlation between the extent of required access to personal data and the popularity and the rating of each mobile app. Findings The findings of this paper suggest that the majority of examined mobile apps require access to personal data to a high extent. In addition, it is found that free mobile apps request access to personal data in a higher extent compared to the relevant requests by paid apps, which indicates strongly that the business model of free mobile apps is based on personal data exploitation. The most popular types of access permissions are revealed for both free and paid apps. In addition, important questions are raised in relation to user awareness and behavior, data minimization and purpose limitation for free and paid mobile apps. Originality/value In this study, the process and the extent of access to personal data through mobile apps are analyzed. Although several studies analyzed relevant issues in the past, the originality of this research is mainly based on the following facts: first, this work took into account the recent Regulation of the EU in relation to personal data (GDPR); second, the authors analyzed a high number of the most popular mobile apps (more than a thousand); and third, the authors compare and analyze the different approaches followed between free and paid mobile apps.

Using UTAUT 2 model to predict mobile app based shopping: evidences from India

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 248-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Preeti Tak ◽  
Savita Panwar
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Intention ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Usage Behavior ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Facilitating Conditions ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand antecedents of app-based shopping in an Indian context. The paper has used unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) 2 model for examining the impact of various constructs on behavioral intention and usage behavior of smart phone users toward the mobile shopping apps. Design/methodology/approach The constructs were tested and validated by means of a structured questionnaire which was administered on a sample of 350 mobile app shoppers in Delhi. AMOS 20 was used to analyze the collected data. Findings The study revealed that hedonic and habit are the strongest predictors of users’ behavioral intention to use mobile apps for shopping. Respondents are also influenced by the deals that are being offered by the marketers. The research also suggests that facilitating conditions help in usage of mobile apps for shopping. Research limitations/implications Managerial implications simplifying the interface which would encourage the less technologically advanced individuals to use mobile apps. Hedonic element of shopping through mobile apps should also be enhanced. Originality/value This study contributes to the research on intentions and usage behavior of consumer technologies by adopting UTAUT 2 model to explain the intentions and usage behavior toward mobile apps for shopping. The paper also measured the role of deals in influencing the consumers.

An automated mobile app labeling framework based on primary motivations for smartphone use

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anteneh Ayanso ◽  
Mingshan Han ◽  
Morteza Zihayat
Keyword(s):  
Classification Scheme ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
User Needs ◽  
Context Information ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Classification Framework ◽  
Textual Data

Purpose This paper aims to propose an automated mobile app labeling framework based on a novel app classification scheme that is aligned with users’ primary motivations for using smartphones. The study addresses the gaps in incorporating the needs of users and other context information in app classification as well as recommendation systems. Design/methodology/approach Based on a corpus of mobile app descriptions collected from Google Play store, this study applies extensive text analytics and topic modeling procedures to profile mobile apps within the categories of the classification scheme. Sufficient number of representative and labeled app descriptions are then used to train a classifier using machine learning algorithms, such as rule-based, decision tree and artificial neural network. Findings Experimental results of the classifiers show high accuracy in automatically labeling new apps based on their descriptions. The accuracy of the classification results suggests a feasible direction in facilitating app searching and retrieval in different Web-based usage environments. Research limitations/implications As a common challenge in textual data projects, the problem of data size and data quality issues exists throughout the multiple phases of experiments. Future research will extend the data collection scope in many aspects to address the issues that constrained the current experiments. Practical implications These empirical experiments demonstrate the feasibility of textual data analysis in profiling apps and user context information. This study also benefits app developers by improving app descriptions through a better understanding of user needs and context information. Finally, the classification framework can also guide practitioners in customizing products and services beyond mobile apps where context information and user needs play an important role. Social implications Given the widespread usage and applications of smartphones today, the proposed app classification framework will have broader implications to different Web-based application environments. Originality/value While there have been other classification approaches in the literature, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this framework is the first study on building an automated app labeling framework based on primary motivations of smartphone usage.

Privacy Concerns and Mobile App Store

2021 ◽  
pp. 2150019
Author(s):  
Brenda Mak ◽  
Leigh Jin
Keyword(s):  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Smart Phone ◽  
User Acceptance ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
App Store ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Share Information

Mobile apps have been transforming how individuals and organizations share information and conduct business. This research studies the relationships among user readiness factors, privacy concerns, and user acceptance of mobile app stores. A survey was conducted among college smart phone users. Results indicate that the privacy concerns construct has a direct negative effect on purchase intention of mobile apps in the app store. In addition, user readiness has a direct positive effect on attitudes to the app store, and a net positive effect on purchase intention of apps in the app store. Implications of our findings were discussed.

The moderating role of customer engagement experiences in customer satisfaction–loyalty relationship

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 1278-1310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rakhi Thakur
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Customer Engagement ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Quantitative Studies ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Moderating Role

Purpose This study aims to examine the moderating role of customer engagement experiences in satisfaction–loyalty relationship in the digital business environment. This paper looks at mobile apps for shopping and travel planning to understand these relationships. Design/methodology/approach This paper includes the conceptualization and validation of the proposed relationship through multiple studies. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted to identify the relevant engagement experiences. Subsequently, multiple quantitative studies were conducted to examine the proposed relationships. Findings The effect of satisfaction on continuance intention is stronger among customers with higher levels of engagement. Further, the propensity to provide electronic word of mouth is non-linear in customers with higher levels of engagement and may not vary directly with satisfaction levels. Research limitations/implications The findings of this study contribute to the emerging literature on customer engagement and mobile app-usage domains. Future studies may examine such a relationship in different businesses and on varied digital platforms. Practical implications The findings of this paper may provide actionable insights to marketers, giving them a mechanism to segment customers based on engagement levels and using discretion while focusing on satisfaction levels among different segments. Originality/value This study validates the proposed moderating role of customer engagement in the satisfaction–loyalty relationship. The non-linear relationship between satisfaction and loyalty is also demonstrated.

Why people need privacy? The role of privacy fatigue in app users' intention to disclose privacy: based on personality traits

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Tang ◽  
Umair Akram ◽  
Wenjing Shi
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Information Disclosure ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Novel Concept ◽  
The Impact

PurposeMobile Applications (App) privacy has become a prominent social problem. Compared with privacy concerns, this study examines a relatively novel concept of privacy fatigue and explores its effect on the users’ intention to disclose their personal information via mobile Apps. In addition, the personality traits are proposed as antecedents that will induce the personal perception of privacy fatigue and privacy concerns differently.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 426 respondents. Structure equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings describe that App users’ intention toward personal information disclosure is determined by privacy fatigue and privacy concerns, but the former has a greater impact. With minor exceptions, the two factors are also influenced by different personality traits. Specifically, neuroticism has positive effects on privacy fatigue, but agreeableness and extraversion have presented the opposite results on the two variables.Practical implicationsThis research is very scarce to examine the joint effects of privacy fatigue, privacy concerns and personality traits on App users’ disclosing intention. In doing so, these results will be of benefit to App providers and platform managers and can be the basis for a variety of follow-up studies.Originality/valueWhile previous research just focuses on privacy concerns, this study explores the critical roles of privacy fatigue and opens up a new avenue of emotion-attitude analysis that can further increase the specificity and richness of users’ privacy research. Additionally, implications for personality traits as antecedents in the impact of App users’ privacy emotions and attitudes are discussed.

Explaining tourist behavioral loyalty toward mobile apps

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 415-430
Author(s):  
José-Alberto Castañeda ◽  
María-José Martínez-Heredia ◽  
Miguel-Ángel Rodríguez-Molina
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Internet Access ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Unified Theory ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Behavioral Loyalty ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Continued Use

Purpose The overall tourist experience is changing because of the development of mobile devices, ubiquitous internet access and applications (apps) designed specifically for tourism. The aim of this study is to identify the determinants of continued use and recommendation of such apps (loyalty), framed within the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model, considering innate user traits (innovativeness) and one of the principal attributes of mobile phones (portability). Design/methodology/approach The sample comprised 285 Spanish tourists who owned a smartphone and were using some kind of mobile app in connection with their stay. Findings The results show that the UTAUT2 model is effective in explaining loyalty toward tourism apps and that its variables mediate the effect of user and mobile device characteristics. Research limitations/implications To ensure continued use of a tourism app, it should possess the following core attributes: deliver a positive cost–benefit trade-off, be fun to use, provide up-to-date and useful information and generate a degree of dependency in the user. Originality/value The present research is particularly relevant because of its focus on the use of apps during the stay, given that most of the extant literature centers on previous stages (such as service booking).

Service mobile apps: a millennial generation perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 118 (9) ◽  
pp. 1837-1860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Leon
Keyword(s):  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Millennial Generation ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Perceived Ease Of Use ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Content Type

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to evaluate Millennials’ intention to use service mobile apps and assess gender as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach An extended technology acceptance model framework that includes information quality and self-efficacy guides this research. PLS-SEM is used to evaluate the data and test the hypotheses. Findings The study reveals that information quality, self-efficacy, perceived ease of use and usefulness, and attitude influence Millennials’ intentions to use service mobile apps. Additionally, gender is found to partially moderate the results. Practical implications Service companies that rely on mobile apps to deliver services ought to consider the disparities among the Millennial generation, increasing the likelihood that Millennial customers will adopt service mobile apps and that they receive acceptable customer experiences. Originality/value This paper examines the factors influencing adoption and use of service mobile apps among Millennials and examines gender as a moderator. Additionally, guidelines for service mobile app design are included.

Modeling guests’ intentions to use mobile apps in hotels

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1968-1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Morosan ◽  
Agnes DeFranco
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Structural Equations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The unprecedented development of hotel-branded mobile applications (apps) has been instrumental in facilitating the rich guest–hotel interactions, thus contributing to a high personalization of services. For true personalization, guests need to provide personal information via apps. Yet, no study to date has addressed how guests develop intentions to use such apps given the current personalization and privacy challenges. Therefore, this study aims to investigate hotel guests’ intentions to use hotel apps to access personalized services. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from personalization-privacy theory, this study conceptualized perceived personalization and privacy concerns as distinct constructs while recognizing two different privacy concerns constructs: general and app-specific privacy concerns. To build a comprehensive structural model that is appropriate for explicating intentions to use hotel apps, this study incorporates consumer psychology and information systems theoretical streams that provide constructs that unequivocally capture the unique set of consumer–app interactions in highly experiential settings such as hotels (e.g. innovativeness and involvement). Using a nation-wide sample of hotel guests from the USA, the model was validated using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equations modeling. Findings The predictors explained 79 per cent of the variability in the intentions to use hotel apps to personalize hotel services. The strongest predictor of intentions was involvement, followed by app-related privacy concerns and perceived personalization. Research limitations/implications First, this study’s extended theoretical framework was well supported, as it captures relevant elements of the mobile commerce ecosystem (e.g. personalization and privacy), thus extending the classic paradigmatic approach to information systems adoption beyond system beliefs. Second, this study clarifies the distinct roles of personalization and privacy in the context of hotel apps, which has not been examined in the context of m-commerce in hospitality. Third, the study clarifies the role of involvement as the most critical factor that can influence guests’ intentions to use hotel apps when personalization options and privacy concerns exist. Practical implications This study offers hotel decision-makers a mapping of the factors, leading to use of hotel apps for purchasing personalized hotel services. Originality/value This study provides a first theoretical perspective on the hotel app utilization behaviors that have not been studied so far, but carry a strong strategic and financial significance for the hotel industry (direct distribution, brand consolidation and extensive contact with guests).

scholarly journals Session Fingerprinting in Android via Web-to-App Intercommunication

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efthimios Alepis ◽  
Constantinos Patsakis
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Devices ◽  
Context Awareness ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Personal Data ◽  
Mobile App ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Sensitive Information ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Everyday Lives

The extensive adoption of mobile devices in our everyday lives, apart from facilitating us through their various enhanced capabilities, has also raised serious privacy concerns. While mobile devices are equipped with numerous sensors which offer context-awareness to their installed apps, they can also be exploited to reveal sensitive information when correlated with other data or sources. Companies have introduced a plethora of privacy invasive methods to harvest users’ personal data for profiling and monetizing purposes. Nonetheless, up till now, these methods were constrained by the environment they operate, e.g., browser versus mobile app, and since only a handful of businesses have actual access to both of these environments, the conceivable risks could be calculated and the involved enterprises could be somehow monitored and regulated. This work introduces some novel user deanonymization approaches for device and user fingerprinting in Android. Having Android AOSP as our baseline, we prove that web pages, by using several inherent mechanisms, can cooperate with installed mobile apps to identify which sessions operate in specific devices and consequently further expose users’ privacy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document