People are more likely to give away personal information online if they feel the site is trustworthy, new research from the United Kingdom's Privacy and Self-Disclosure Online project suggests.
Funded by Britain's Economic and Social Research Council, the study examined how surfers respond to ever-increasing requests for private information online, and what governs whether or not they will respond.
The researchers found that an individual's willingness to disclose private information came down to whether the site — and the organization behind it — appeared trustworthy.
"Even people who have previously demonstrated a high level of caution regarding online privacy will accept losses to their privacy if they trust the recipient of the personal information," said study lead Adam Joinson in a news release.
They found that even though nearly 56 per cent of internet users surveyed expressed concerns over online privacy, most users were willing to accept requests for personal information from trusted websites. Similar requests from less trusted sites led to guarded disclosure.
The researchers drew this conclusion after conducting 12 studies in three phases, using online questionnaires and modelling.
"One of the most interesting aspects of our finding … is that even people who genuinely have a high level of concern regarding privacy online may act in a way that is contrary to their stated attitudes when they come across a particular set of conditions," Joinson said.
The researchers also examined how the wording of the questions and design of responses caused users to react. They found that if the response "I prefer not to say" appeared at the top of an options list, users are far less likely to disclose information. Similarly, if respondents had a chance to be vague, for example by choosing an answer on a scale, they are less likely to disclose details.
Joinson said the findings could help organizations aiming to create online services that pose potential privacy threats, such as government agencies developing ID cards.
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