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Privacy in the Age of IoT An experimental study investigating the attitude towards smart speakers of non-users through voice activation and data evaluation as intrusive features

Palenio, H.L. (2020) Privacy in the Age of IoT An experimental study investigating the attitude towards smart speakers of non-users through voice activation and data evaluation as intrusive features.

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Abstract:Purpose: Ownership of smart speakers all around the world is rising. The devices with voice assistants provide a lot of convenience and autonomy to users. However, consumers often ignore the privacy issues for the benefits the smart speakers offer. This research aims to address this topic in investigating how intrusive technology features like unintentional voice activation and data evaluation by humans influ-ence the attitude towards smart speakers. Additionally, mediating and direct effects of perceived usefulness, privacy concerns, and trust should be tested. Method: As a method, an experiment including a fictive scenario was conducted to test the proposed model. Therefore, a 2 (unintentional vs. intentional voice activa-tion) x 2 (data evaluation by software vs. by humans) between-subject experiment was set up to investigate the intrusive effects of unintentional voice activation and data evaluation by humans on perceived usefulness, privacy concerns, trust, and attitude towards smart speakers. The target group of the experiment were non-owners of smart speakers (n=186. Results: The results of the MANOVA analysis showed that there were no significant effects of voice activation and data evaluation on attitude towards smart speakers, trust, and privacy concerns. However, a marginally significant effect of data evaluation on perceived usefulness was found. Perceived usefulness was lower if data evaluation was done by software. Furthermore, a marginally significant interaction effect of voice activation and data evaluation on trust was found. In the intentional voice activation condition, trust was lower if data evaluation was done by software. Moreover, the analysis showed significant main effects of perceived usefulness, privacy concerns, and trust on attitude. Besides, no mediation effects of perceived usefulness, privacy concerns, and trust were found. Conclusion: It seems that non-owners perceive the smart speaker to be more useful if data evaluation is done by humans (compared to software). Non-owners also give the impression that they differ in their level of trust if the smart speaker is activated intentionally depending on the type of data evaluation. Data evaluation by humans seemed to be regarded as more trustworthy than data evaluation by software if the smart speaker was activated intentional. In general, low perceived usefulness, low trust, and high privacy concerns lead to a negative attitude towards smart speakers. Findings can be used as an inspiration for future research in the growing field of IoT technology and are practically relevant for smart device developers and technology companies Keywords: smart speakers, internet of things, privacy concerns, perceived usefulness, trust, attitude towards smart speakers
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:05 communication studies, 54 computer science
Programme:Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/82867
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