A Systematic Literature Review of Usable Privacy Controls for Mobile Applications

Abstract

With the increasing use of mobile devices and the collection of personal data through mobile applications, protecting user privacy has become a critical concern. However, many privacy controls in mobile applications are difficult to use, leading users to either ignore them or disable them altogether. During the review of the selected articles, key overarching categories emerged, including usability and user experience, privacy control features, and user education and support. However, significant gaps persist in translating design principles into practical implementations, understanding the comprehensive user experience with different privacy control designs, considering the influence of contextual factors, addressing the implications of emerging technologies, and exploring the longitudinal aspects of user-privacy interactions. This review highlights the need for a framework that bridges these gaps to enhance user privacy and control in mobile applications. The findings of this review provide insights for researchers and practitioners to develop effective and user-centric privacy controls for mobile applications, ensuring a balance between usable privacy and protection.