Work

Privacy during pandemics: Attitudes to public use of personal data

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: In this paper we investigate people’s attitudes to privacy and sharing of personal data when used to help society combat a contagious disease , such as COVID-19. Through a two-wave survey, we investigate the role of personal characteristics, and the effect of information, in shaping privacy attitudes. By conducting the survey in Norway and Sweden, which adopted very different strategies to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, we analyze potential differences in privacy attitudes due to policy changes. We find that privacy concern is negatively correlated with allowing public use of personal data. Trust in the entity collecting data and collectivist preferences are positively correlated with this type of data usage. Providing more information about the public benefit of sharing personal data makes respondents more positive to the use of their data, while providing additional information about the costs associated with data sharing does not change attitudes . The analysis suggests that stating a clear purpose and benefit for the data collection makes respondents more positive about sharing. Despite very different policy approaches, we do not find any major differences in privacy attitudes between Norway and Sweden. Findings are also similar between the two survey waves, suggesting a minor role for contextual changes.

Source: Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics

DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2024.102304

Authors: Eleonora Freddi, Ole Christian Wasenden

Institutions: Telenor (Norway), Norwegian University of Life Sciences

Language: English

Topic: COVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing

Subfield: Information Systems

Field: Computer Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,640