How users make online privacy decisions in work and personal contexts of use

Abstract

With the rising usage of contactless work options since COVID-19, users increasingly share their personal data in digital tools at work. Using an experimental online vignette study (N = 93), we examined users’ willingness to use a video conferencing tool, while systematically varying the context of use (personal vs. low trustworthiness work vs. high trustworthiness work) and the type of information shared (low vs. medium vs. high sensitivity). We also assessed users’ perceived responsibility in work and personal contexts of use and their self-assessed digital competence. Our results highlight employer trustworthiness as an important factor in the willingness to use a third-party video conferencing tool, with increased willingness to use these tools in work contexts of use with high trustworthiness compared to those with low trustworthiness. This effect seems to be reduced when the data to be shared is of high sensitivity, compared to medium and low sensitivity data. Furthermore, despite reduced responsibility for data protection in work compared to personal contexts of use, the willingness to use a video conferencing tool did not decrease between trustworthy work and personal contexts of use. We discuss our findings and their methodological implications for future research and derive implications for privacy decisions at work.