Search results

1 – 10 of over 24000
Article
Publication date: 7 November 2019

Paola Mavriki and Maria Karyda

User profiling with big data raises significant issues regarding privacy. Privacy studies typically focus on individual privacy; however, in the era of big data analytics, users…

Abstract

Purpose

User profiling with big data raises significant issues regarding privacy. Privacy studies typically focus on individual privacy; however, in the era of big data analytics, users are also targeted as members of specific groups, thus challenging their collective privacy with unidentified implications. Overall, this paper aims to argue that in the age of big data, there is a need to consider the collective aspects of privacy as well and to develop new ways of calculating privacy risks and identify privacy threats that emerge.

Design/methodology/approach

Focusing on a collective level, the authors conducted an extensive literature review related to information privacy and concepts of social identity. They also examined numerous automated data-driven profiling techniques analyzing at the same time the involved privacy issues for groups.

Findings

This paper identifies privacy threats for collective entities that stem from data-driven profiling, and it argues that privacy-preserving mechanisms are required to protect the privacy interests of groups as entities, independently of the interests of their individual members. Moreover, this paper concludes that collective privacy threats may be different from threats for individuals when they are not members of a group.

Originality/value

Although research evidence indicates that in the age of big data privacy as a collective issue is becoming increasingly important, the pluralist character of privacy has not yet been adequately explored. This paper contributes to filling this gap and provides new insights with regard to threats for group privacy and their impact on collective entities and society.

Details

Information & Computer Security, vol. 28 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-4961

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 February 2022

Carmel Avizohar, Tali Gazit and Noa Aharony

Exploring the considerations that guide and influence members of Facebook medical support groups to disclose private information.

1481

Abstract

Purpose

Exploring the considerations that guide and influence members of Facebook medical support groups to disclose private information.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample included 293 participants, aged 18–85 years, who answered an online survey, 155 members of Facebook medical support groups and 138 members of other Facebook groups.

Findings

Members of medical support groups attach greater importance to privacy policy, give greater value to privacy and reveal more private information, compared to members of other groups. Members of medical support groups tend to feel that they receive more support and feel that the privacy policy preserves their privacy much more. These feelings are associated with greater self-disclosure of groups' members.

Originality/value

The research insights will help medical support groups' members and admins to put into action the fundamental right to privacy and build a set of rules tailored to their individual and group needs.

Details

Aslib Journal of Information Management, vol. 75 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-3806

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 November 2012

Danijela Bogdanovic, Michael Dowd, Eileen Wattam and Alison Adam

The purpose of this paper is to report on and evaluate focus groups and privacy diary/interview methods used in a qualitative study of on‐line privacy.

1345

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on and evaluate focus groups and privacy diary/interview methods used in a qualitative study of on‐line privacy.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a discursive evaluation of two methods employed to study on‐line privacy, informed by and situated in interpretive and constructivist approaches to knowledge.

Findings

The paper argues for the value of qualitative research methods in study of on‐line privacy. It confronts the positivist paradigm that informs much of the work in the field by foregrounding the need for methodological plurality in the study of privacy as relational, situated, dynamic and contextual. It deals with the notion of “sensitivity” as well as introducing often neglected issue of logistical challenges in qualitative research.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing debates about the value of employment of qualitative research methods broadly, as well as in the study of on‐line privacy more specifically. It demonstrates a range of advantages and challenges in use of the two methods, providing recommendations of how to supplement them. It opens up the discussion of process of sensitizing of the participants and thus the “co‐construction” of knowledge.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2006

Geoff Skinner, Song Han and Elizabeth Chang

Information Privacy is becoming an increasingly important field of research with many new definitions and terminologies. Along similar rates of increase are the use, uptake and…

1861

Abstract

Purpose

Information Privacy is becoming an increasingly important field of research with many new definitions and terminologies. Along similar rates of increase are the use, uptake and expansion of collaborative environments (CEs). There is a need for a better understanding and classification of information privacy concepts and terms. The purpose of this paper is to provide a taxonomy of information privacy in CEs. The knowledge provided from an information privacy taxonomy can be used to formulate better information privacy policies, practices, and privacy enhancing technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the hierarchical classification and categorization of information privacy concepts and principles an organized representation of these components has been produced. Each area was well surveyed and researched and then classified into a number of sub‐categories according to their nature and relevance.

Findings

A taxonomy was successfully developed with the identification of three high level dimensions of information privacy. Within each dimensional view a further three sub‐classifications were proposed each with their own unique nature.

Originality/value

This paper provides an Information Privacy taxonomy for CEs, the first of its kind to be proposed. A number of new Information privacy terms are defined that make up the categorization and classification of information privacy concepts and components.

Details

Information Management & Computer Security, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-5227

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 8 January 2021

Dillip Kumar Rath and Ajit Kumar

In today’s digitized environment, information privacy has become a prime concern for everybody. The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of information privacy

17418

Abstract

Purpose

In today’s digitized environment, information privacy has become a prime concern for everybody. The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of information privacy concern arising because of the application of computer-based information system in the various domains (E-Governance, E-Commerce, E-Health, E-Banking and E-Finance), and at different levels, i.e. individual, group, organizational and societal.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors performed an in-depth analysis of different research articles related to information privacy concerns and elements affecting those at certain level of applications. The primary sources of literature were articles retrieved from online databases. Various online journal and scholarly articles were searched in detail to locate information privacy-related articles.

Findings

The authors have carried out a detailed literature review to identify the different levels where the privacy is a big challenging task. This paper provides insights whether information privacy concern may obstruct in the successful dispersal and adoption of different applications in various application domains. Consumers’ attitude towards information privacy concerns have enlightened and addressed at individual levels in numerous domains. Privacy concerns at the individual level, as suggested by our analysis, seem to have been sufficiently addressed or addressed. However, information privacy concerns at other levels – group, organizational and societal levels – need the attention of researchers.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors have posited that it will help the researchers to more focus at group level privacy perspective in the information privacy era.

Details

Vilakshan - XIMB Journal of Management, vol. 18 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0973-1954

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2023

Yuanye Ma

Privacy has been understood as about one’s own information, information that is not one’s own is not typically considered with regards to an individual’s privacy. This paper aims…

Abstract

Purpose

Privacy has been understood as about one’s own information, information that is not one’s own is not typically considered with regards to an individual’s privacy. This paper aims to draw attention to this issue for conceptualizing privacy when one’s privacy is breached by others’ information.

Design/methodology/approach

To illustrate the issue that others' information can breach one's own privacy, this paper uses real-world applications of forensic genealogy and recommender systems to motivate the discussion.

Findings

In both forensic genealogy and recommender systems, the individual’s privacy is breached by information that is not one’s own. The information that breached one’s privacy, by its nature, is beyond the scope of an individual, which is a phenomenon that has already been captured by emerging discussions about group privacy. This paper further argues that the underlying issue reflected by the examples of forensic genealogy is an extreme case even under the consideration of group privacy. This is because, unlike recommender systems that rely on large amounts of data to make inferences about an individual, forensic genealogy exposes one’s identity by using only one other individual’s information. This paper echoes existing discussions that this peculiar situation where others’ information breaches one’s own privacy reveals the problematic nature of conceptualizing privacy relying only on individualistic assumptions. Moreover, this paper suggests a relational perspective as an alternative for theorizing privacy.

Originality/value

This situation that others’ information breached one’s own privacy calls for an updated understanding of not only privacy but also the relationship between the person and their information. Privacy scholars need to renew their ethical language and vocabularies to properly understand the issue, which recent privacy conceptualizations are already doing (e.g. group privacy).

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 July 2023

Yupeng Mou and Xiangxue Meng

With the upgrade of natural language interaction technology, the simulation extension of intelligent voice assistants (IVAs) and the uncertainty of products and services have…

Abstract

Purpose

With the upgrade of natural language interaction technology, the simulation extension of intelligent voice assistants (IVAs) and the uncertainty of products and services have received more and more attention. However, most of the existing research focuses on investigating the application of theories to explain consumer behavior related to intention to use and adopt IVAs, while ignoring the impact of its privacy issues on consumer resistance. This article especially examines the negative impact of artificial intelligence-based IVAs’ privacy concerns on consumer resistance, and studies the mediating effect of perceived creepiness in the context of privacy cynicism and privacy paradox and the moderating effect of anthropomorphized roles of IVAs and perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) of IVAs’ companies. The demographic variables are also included.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theory of human–computer interaction (HCI), this study addresses the consumer privacy concerns of IVAs, builds a model of the influence mechanism on consumer resistance, and then verifies the mediating effect of perceived creepiness and the moderating effect of anthropomorphized roles of IVAs and perceived CSR of IVAs companies. This research explores underlying mechanism with three experiments.

Findings

It turns out that consumers’ privacy concerns are related to their resistance to IVAs through perceived creepiness. The servant (vs. partner) anthropomorphized role of IVAs is likely to induce more privacy concerns and in turn higher resistance. At the same time, when the company’s CSR is perceived high, the impact of the concerns of IVAs’ privacy issues on consumer resistance will be weakened, and the intermediary mechanism of perceiving creepiness in HCI and anthropomorphism of new technology are further explained and verified. The differences between different age and gender are also revealed in the study.

Originality/value

The research conclusions have strategic reference significance for enterprises to build the design framework of IVAs and formulate the response strategy of IVAs’ privacy concerns. And it offers implications for researchers and closes the research gap of IVAs from the perspective of innovation resistance.

Article
Publication date: 30 December 2021

Michael Zimmer and Sarah Logan

Existing algorithms for predicting suicide risk rely solely on data from electronic health records, but such models could be improved through the incorporation of publicly…

Abstract

Purpose

Existing algorithms for predicting suicide risk rely solely on data from electronic health records, but such models could be improved through the incorporation of publicly available socioeconomic data – such as financial, legal, life event and sociodemographic data. The purpose of this study is to understand the complex ethical and privacy implications of incorporating sociodemographic data within the health context. This paper presents results from a survey exploring what the general public’s knowledge and concerns are about such publicly available data and the appropriateness of using it in suicide risk prediction algorithms.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was developed to measure public opinion about privacy concerns with using socioeconomic data across different contexts. This paper presented respondents with multiple vignettes that described scenarios situated in medical, private business and social media contexts, and asked participants to rate their level of concern over the context and what factor contributed most to their level of concern. Specific to suicide prediction, this paper presented respondents with various data attributes that could potentially be used in the context of a suicide risk algorithm and asked participants to rate how concerned they would be if each attribute was used for this purpose.

Findings

The authors found considerable concern across the various contexts represented in their vignettes, with greatest concern in vignettes that focused on the use of personal information within the medical context. Specific to the question of incorporating socioeconomic data within suicide risk prediction models, the results of this study show a clear concern from all participants in data attributes related to income, crime and court records, and assets. Data about one’s household were also particularly concerns for the respondents, suggesting that even if one might be comfortable with their own being used for risk modeling, data about other household members is more problematic.

Originality/value

Previous studies on the privacy concerns that arise when integrating data pertaining to various contexts of people’s lives into algorithmic and related computational models have approached these questions from individual contexts. This study differs in that it captured the variation in privacy concerns across multiple contexts. Also, this study specifically assessed the ethical concerns related to a suicide prediction model and determining people’s awareness of the publicness of select data attributes, as well as which of these data attributes generated the most concern in such a context. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to pursue this question.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 August 2017

Gehan Gunasekara, Andrew A. Adams and Kiyoshi Murata

This study aims to test the attitudes towards and social consequences of Edward Snowden’s revelations in New Zealand, taking into account New Zealand’s socio-cultural and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to test the attitudes towards and social consequences of Edward Snowden’s revelations in New Zealand, taking into account New Zealand’s socio-cultural and political environment especially as regards privacy and state surveillance.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey of 66 university students and semi-structured follow-up interviews with 18 respondents were conducted, in addition to reviews of the literature on privacy and state surveillance in New Zealand. The outcomes of the survey were statistically analysed and qualitative analyses of the interview results were also performed.

Findings

Despite a lack of detailed knowledge concerning Snowden’s revelations and a relative lack of knowledge of domestic law enforcement agencies, as well as those devoted to protecting human rights and privacy, the revelations have had a noticeable effect on New Zealand youngsters’ attitudes towards privacy and state surveillance, mainly evidenced in their willingness to emulate Snowden’s actions and in their changed online behaviour, thereby demonstrating a chilling effect.

Practical implications

The study results suggest younger New Zealanders are aware of and concerned with their privacy and that the government should better publicise the existing mechanisms for protecting human rights and privacy as well as for whistle-blowing by individuals to give effect to the aspirations of younger citizens in particular.

Social implications

The results of this study, based on a questionnaire survey, indicates that state surveillance and other threats to privacy are issues of concern to younger New Zealanders and that better public education is needed as to the mechanisms that are available for citizens to protect their privacy and human rights.

Originality/value

This study is the first attempt to investigate the social impact of Snowden’s revelations on New Zealand youngsters’ attitudes toward privacy and state surveillance as part of cross-cultural analyses between eight countries.

Details

Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-996X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 December 2021

Jung-Kuei Hsieh and Hsiang-Tzu Li

With the popularity of mobile applications and increasing consumer awareness of application privacy, this paper aims to introduce a new construct of service-privacy fit (i.e. the…

615

Abstract

Purpose

With the popularity of mobile applications and increasing consumer awareness of application privacy, this paper aims to introduce a new construct of service-privacy fit (i.e. the perceived degree of match between the service of a mobile application and a privacy permission request) to predict consumers’ mobile application adoption.

Design/methodology/approach

Four experiments were carried out to test the hypothesized relationships. The first study investigated the direct impact of service-privacy fit on application adoption and the mediators of benefit expectancy and privacy concerns. The second, third and fourth studies further applied the moderated mediation model to analyze the moderating roles of benefit message type, regulatory focus type and privacy assurance.

Findings

The results show that service-privacy fit influences application adoption not only directly but also indirectly via the mediators of benefit expectancy and privacy concerns. Furthermore, the findings confirm the moderators of benefit message type, regulatory focus type and privacy assurance.

Originality/value

Drawn from the perspectives of task-technology fit and information boundary theory, this paper introduces a new construct of service-privacy fit as a determinant of application adoption. Grounded in privacy calculus theory, it further explains this relationship through mediating effects of benefit expectancy and privacy concerns. Furthermore, this paper proposes that benefit messages and privacy assurance are effective coping strategies to increase the benefit expectancy and reduce the privacy concerns of applications. Based on the perspective of regulatory fit theory, this study further shows that the effects of coping strategies rely on personal traits. The findings enrich the existing knowledge of mobile application adoption and application privacy, suggesting that practitioners should consider mobile consumers’ perception of service-privacy fit when developing applications.

1 – 10 of over 24000