Paper Number
ECIS2026-2640
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
Social interactions are increasingly mediated by the internet, which results in severe privacy threats for internet users. One way to respond to such threats is the use of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), whose purpose it is to allow for better management of information flows in social computing systems like the internet. However, PETs are often designed from a technical perspective and, apart from usability concerns, poorly aligned with the privacy threats perceived by users in different contexts. This study addresses privacy management on the internet from a user-centered perspective to derive implications for PET design. We explore how internet-savvy users report to use PETs in everyday internet contexts with a qualitative research approach. The findings showcase how internet-savvy users select and use PETs and are consolidated in a process model. Finally, we synthesize three important design considerations: privacy harm-oriented PET selection, context-sensitive PET use, and informative PET evaluations.
Recommended Citation
Danylak, Philipp; Dehling, Tobias; and Sunyaev, Ali, "Pets In Context: An Exploration Of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies For Everyday Internet Use" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 19.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/security/security/19
Pets In Context: An Exploration Of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies For Everyday Internet Use
Social interactions are increasingly mediated by the internet, which results in severe privacy threats for internet users. One way to respond to such threats is the use of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs), whose purpose it is to allow for better management of information flows in social computing systems like the internet. However, PETs are often designed from a technical perspective and, apart from usability concerns, poorly aligned with the privacy threats perceived by users in different contexts. This study addresses privacy management on the internet from a user-centered perspective to derive implications for PET design. We explore how internet-savvy users report to use PETs in everyday internet contexts with a qualitative research approach. The findings showcase how internet-savvy users select and use PETs and are consolidated in a process model. Finally, we synthesize three important design considerations: privacy harm-oriented PET selection, context-sensitive PET use, and informative PET evaluations.
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