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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
Book cover


An assessment tool for evaluating users privacy perception of IoT-devices

Translated title

Et vurderingsværktøj til evaluering af brugernes privatlivsopfattelse af IoT-enheder

Author

Term

4. term

Publication year

2020

Submitted on

Abstract

IoT-enheder, dvs. internetforbundne hverdagsting, befinder sig i vores fysiske omgivelser og indsamler data, hvilket påvirker, hvordan mennesker oplever deres privatliv. Denne kandidatafhandling udvikler en model til at vurdere privatlivsopfattelse for IoT-enheder. På baggrund af en omfattende litteraturgennemgang blev centrale dimensioner af privatlivsopfattelse, der er relevante for den fysiske verden, samlet. Et udvalg af spørgeskemaelementer blev derefter udvalgt og tilpasset til at skabe en privatlivsopfattelsesskala (Privacy Perception Scale, PPS), som blev afprøvet i et eksperimentelt spørgeskema distribueret via online fora. I alt gennemførte 46 respondenter undersøgelsen og vurderede skalaen under to forskellige betingelser. En hovedkomponentanalyse (PCA), understøttet af en parallelanalyse, pegede i den første betingelse på én underliggende faktor, og en eksplorativ faktoranalyse (EFA) blev derfor ikke gennemført. Denne faktor havde meget høj intern konsistens (Cronbachs alpha, α = 0.924). Der blev også fundet en forskel i PPS-resultater mellem de to betingelser (r = .80). Samlet set peger resultaterne på, at PPS kan bruges til at vurdere brugeres privatlivsopfattelse i relation til IoT-enheder.

Internet-connected everyday devices (the Internet of Things, IoT) operate in our physical surroundings and collect data, which affects how people feel about their privacy. This master’s thesis develops a model for evaluating privacy perception for IoT devices. Based on a comprehensive review of prior research, it compiles key dimensions of privacy perception relevant to the physical world. A set of questionnaire items was selected and adapted to create a Privacy Perception Scale (PPS), which was then tested in an experimental survey distributed via online forums. A total of 46 respondents completed the survey and assessed the scale under two different conditions. A principal component analysis (PCA), supported by a parallel analysis, indicated a single underlying factor in the first condition, so an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was not conducted. This factor showed very high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha, α = 0.924). A difference in PPS scores between the two conditions was also found (r = .80). Overall, the findings indicate that the PPS can be used to assess users’ privacy perceptions regarding IoT devices.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]