A Novel Preventive Method for Online Photo Privacy – A Comparative Approach

Abstract

---Contemporary desktop, web, and mobile operating systems are continually increasing support for applications to allow access to privacy-sensitive sensors, such as cameras, microphones, and touch-screens to provide new useful features. For example, insurance and banking applications now utilize mobile platforms cameras to collect sensitive information to expedite claim processing and check depositing, respectively. Several desktop and mobile applications provide screen sharing and screen capturing features for remote collaboration or remote control of desktop and mobile platforms. Also, web search engines now embed buttons to call the businesses linked to the results directly. Using Facebook as an application domain, we explored the possibility of nudging users to make better (that is, less likely to be regretted) decisions about disclosing information in social media. We conducted a three-week exploratory field trial of these nudges with 100 Facebook users. By triangulating system logs of participants’ behavioral data with results from an exit survey and follow up interviews, we found preliminary evidence that the nudges had influenced some users’ posting behavior, sometimes mitigating unintended disclosures and potential regret. The proposed system logs, results from exit surveys, and interviews suggest that privacy nudges could be a promising way to prevent unintended disclosure. We discuss limitations of the current nudge designs and future directions for improvement.