Turtles, Locks, and Bathrooms: Understanding Mental Models of Privacy Through Illustration release_427ibmhwhnbdlnak4egaqzja2q

by Maggie Oates, Yama Ahmadullah, Abigail Marsh, Chelse Swoopes, Shikun Zhang, Rebecca Balebako, Lorrie Faith Cranor

Published in Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies by Walter de Gruyter GmbH.

2018   Volume 2018, p5-32

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> Are the many formal definitions and frameworks of privacy consistent with a layperson's understanding of privacy? We explored this question and identified mental models and metaphors of privacy, conceptual tools that can be used to improve privacy tools, communication, and design for everyday users. Our investigation focused on a qualitative analysis of 366 drawings of privacy from laypeople, privacy experts, children, and adults. Illustrators all responded to the prompt "What does privacy mean to you?" We coded each image for content, identifying themes from established privacy frameworks and defining the visual and conceptual metaphors illustrators used to model privacy. We found that many non-expert drawings illustrated a strong divide between public and private physical spaces, while experts were more likely to draw nuanced data privacy spaces. Young children's drawings focused on bedrooms, bathrooms, or cheating on schoolwork, and seldom addressed data privacy. The metaphors, themes, and symbols identified by these findings can be used for improving privacy communication, education, and design by inspiring and informing visual and conceptual strategies for reaching laypeople.
In application/xml+jats format

Archived Files and Locations

application/pdf  23.2 MB
file_hkruuuptqfcvpoivzmt2cl55au
web.archive.org (webarchive)
content.sciendo.com (web)
Read Archived PDF
Preserved and Accessible
Type  article-journal
Stage   published
Date   2018-10-01
Proceedings Metadata
Open Access Publication
In DOAJ
In Keepers Registry
ISSN-L:  2299-0984
Work Entity
access all versions, variants, and formats of this works (eg, pre-prints)
Catalog Record
Revision: 4d63dfd2-3101-42db-b7f2-9deec7dea2d7
API URL: JSON