An Exploratory Analysis of Interface Features Influencing Mobile Location Data Disclosure

Abstract

Mobile location based services (LBS) often ask users to consent to over disclose location data in exchange for their service. This online experiment manipulated interface features within an LBS consent screen to understand their independent and interactive influence on location data obscurity decisions. Participants (N = 502) were led to believe they were involved in a location-tracking study, allowing for revealed preferences in their decisions. Results indicate that social proof and willingness-to-accept framing positively influenced participants’ likelihood to obscure their location data. While the presence of friction and defaults had no direct effect, both interacted with other interface features in influencing decision-making.

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Lorrie Cranor, Woodrow Hartzog, Brett Frischmann, Madelyn Sanfilippo, and Blasé Ur for their feedback on this manuscript.

Ethical approval

This research was approved by the Boston University Charles River Campus Institutional Review Board. The reference number for this protocol is 5726E.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alexis Shore

Alexis Shore is a PhD student in the Division of Emerging Media Studies at Boston University. Her current research focuses on privacy-related decision-making within mobile interfaces, as well as framing of facial recognition policy.

James J. Cummings

James J. Cummings is faculty within the Division of Emerging Media Studies at Boston University and research affiliate within the Center for Innovation in Social Science and the Hariri Institute for Computing at BU. He conducts research in HCI and media processing, focusing on multitasking, emotion, motivation, and physiological responses.