AI and technology · 1 min read
The more useful an app seemed, the more people wanted to install it
With fictional apps, choosing permissions went along with greater willingness to install the weather app, but not the messaging or puzzle apps.
The study, in plain language
An app can seem very useful while also asking to access personal data. Two experimental surveys showed Norwegian students fictional versions of a puzzle app, a messaging app, and a weather app.
For all three, the more important the app seemed to a person, the greater their stated intention to install it. When the second study allowed people to choose permissions one by one, intention was somewhat higher for the weather app, but the difference was not clear for the other two examples.
The option to choose data access and permissions was thus connected to the install decision differently depending on what the app seemed to do.
The key idea
The more important an app seemed, the more people wanted to install it. Choosing permissions coincided with greater interest only for the weather app.
Something to think about
When an app asks for permissions, consider what matters more to you: the function it offers or the data it requests.
The original study
The privacy and control paradoxes in the context of smartphone apps
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.