Privacy apps for smartphones: An assessment of users’ preferences and limitations

Tanusree Sharma, Masooda Bashir

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

Smartphones are becoming our most trusted computing devices for storing and dealing with highly sensitive information which makes smartphones an essential platform to take under control utilizing privacy-preserving applications (apps). There exists a variety of privacy preserving apps on the mobile platform which claims to offer a potential way for people to protect data on their mobile phone. However, there has been no systematic study of these apps and what features and functionalities they offer or what may contribute to their under-utilization by mobile users. In this study, we analyzed the general functionalities of iOS privacy preserving apps by examining features designed to support user engagement and their privacy preserving functionalities. In addition, we examined user experiences, through a thematic analysis of publicly available user reviews of sampled apps. Our findings provide insight from users’ reviews and their usability challenges in use of these privacy apps as well as the fundamental privacy features they are seeking. We believe these findings will guide privacy application developers in building appropriate functionalities that is more realistic and relevant to mobile users’ daily life. In addition, this study provides the preliminary steps towards a comprehensive and actionable privacy tools/architecture for mobile phones that is human centered.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationHCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust - 2nd International Conference, HCI-CPT 2020, Held as Part of the 22nd HCI International Conference, HCII 2020, Proceedings
EditorsAbbas Moallem
PublisherSpringer
Pages533-546
Number of pages14
ISBN (Print)9783030503086
DOIs
StatePublished - 2020
Event2nd International Conference on HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust, HCI-CPT 2020, held as part of the 22nd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2020 - Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: Jul 19 2020Jul 24 2020

Publication series

NameLecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume12210 LNCS
ISSN (Print)0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)1611-3349

Conference

Conference2nd International Conference on HCI for Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust, HCI-CPT 2020, held as part of the 22nd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCII 2020
Country/TerritoryDenmark
CityCopenhagen
Period7/19/207/24/20

Keywords

  • Content analysis
  • Usable privacy
  • iOS privacy apps

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Theoretical Computer Science
  • General Computer Science

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