Reducing risk to security and privacy in the selection of trigger-action rules: Implicit vs. explicit priming for domestic smart devices

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhcs.2022.102902
• Publication Date: 2022-08-03T01:27:34Z
• Authors: Phillip L. Morgan; Emily I.M. Collins; Tasos Spiliotopoulos; David J. Greeno; Dylan M. Jones
• Keywords: Priming (agriculture)

Smart home device usage is increasing, as the diversity of users and range devices. Additionally, it becoming increasingly common to interconnect devices (e.g., via trigger-action rules) which, while bringing benefits, can bring unforeseen security privacy risks. Developing strategies protect well understanding what biographical or attitudinal characteristics contribute these risks a critical step for ensuring empowered, but safe, interconnected smart usage. Using narrative descriptions domestic devices, two experiments explored how prevailing security/privacy contexts—priming conditions—in which 20 rules (developed Delphi Study) were presented influenced adoption favoring either privacy. Both contrasted three priming conditions: no prime, prime. Experiment 1 (n = 254) used explicit priming, giving direct instruction maximize outcome 2 325) implicit with an apparently unrelated problem-solving puzzle. Across both experiments, promoted safer rule adoption, markedly so when explicit. Explicit produced asymmetry however: improved scores unchanged primes worsening scores. dimensions user attitudes shaped riskier choice: perceived benefits technology pre-existing trusting beliefs in online companies. Our novel findings reveal that shape safe use settings age, trust should be considered designing safety messaging.