Balancing the scales of privacy: Perceptions of privacy issues and digital risk among domestic internet of things users

Abstract

While the proliferation of smart home technologies and the domestic Internet of Things (IoT) bring opportunities for a high level of control over household appliances and entertainment systems, it also presents challenges, not least in terms of privacy. In this study, we explore domestic IoT users’ perceptions of privacy issues and digital risk through in-depth semistructured interviews and digital home visits with 12 adults in 10 households in Norway. Based on the results of this study, we present a framework for an updated understanding of current privacy protection behaviors and decision-making from the perspective of domestic IoT users. Our “Scales of Privacy" model provides a holistic view of the process underlying the privacy calculus framework, incorporating both perceived risks and perceived benefits of data disclosure and including neutralizing factors, such as privacy cynicism and “nothing to hide” arguments. The results show a variety of perceived sources of risk, including national entities, technology companies, hackers, and partners/family. However, we highlight a discrepancy between the understanding of risk and perceived risk of our informants, on the one hand, and their actual behavior, on the other. We examine users’ stated reasons for utilizing an IoT-connected technology despite the risk, identifying five underlying motivations. Two were intrinsically related to the frictionless user experience provided by the devices (i.e., convenience and ease of use), whereas the remaining three (i.e., inevitability, unimpeachability and indiscernibility) revealed attitudes toward privacy protection partially influenced by a sense of being overwhelmed by the friction-filled experience of setting boundaries around personal data in the current digital environment.