Enhancing Transparency in Mobile App Privacy Notices: the Impact of Content and Format on User Perceptions
(R2024-122675)

AUTHORS

Niccolò Testi, University of Macerata; Giacomo Gistri, University of Macerata

ABSTRACT

The study, through an experimental design, investigates the effectiveness of short-form privacy notices in mobile Apps that employ users’ data for AI-powered recommendations. The focus is on how the content and the format of a privacy notice, impact user perceptions of transparency. Results confirm that complete privacy notices covering data collection, data storage and protection, and data use and sharing significantly enhance transparency compared to shortened versions. Moreover, a visual format rather than a textual format seems to be more efficient. However, the advantage of the visual format decreases when the amount of information to be communicated grows. This study provides App developers with valuable insights on how to increase their app’s privacy notice transparency.