To understand privacy concerns regarding notification content and delivery, we conducted a study in which participants (n = 206) described their preferences and practices related to smartphone notifications. The data collected through survey was analysed using mixed method research.
Majority of the participants (61%) reported at least one negative experience connected to smartphone notification, as shown in figure.
We found that notifications on mobile devices do indeed impact privacy of the recipients and potentially of those whose information might be included in the notification. We uncovered that an increase in negative experiences with notifications is associated with greater use of device control mechanisms, but the relationship seems to reverse if the negative experiences continue to grow beyond a threshold. We further found that the privacy threats of notifications are particularly higher in situations that involve device sharing. Yet, most participants reported not taking preventive actions prior to sharing the device with others. These findings contribute to an improved understanding of privacy concerns connected to mobile device notifications in general.
The project had been developed as a fulfillment of the Thesis (BITS F421 T) course at BITS Pilani. The project has been developed under the guidance of my thesis supervisor from Indiana University Bloomington, USA.