Nudging online privacy behaviour with anthropomorphic cues

Nuria Rodríguez-Priego, René van Bavel () and Shara Monteleone
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Nuria Rodríguez-Priego: Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain
René van Bavel: Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain
Shara Monteleone: Joint Research Centre, European Commission, Seville, Spain

Journal of Behavioral Economics for Policy, 2021, vol. 5, issue 1, 45-52

Abstract: Personal data is often considered the currency of the digital world, allowing companies to better control, study and target consumers. However, users may not always be aware they are disclosing personal data online, posing a privacy policy problem. We tested whether the display of anthropomorphic cues could curb users' unwitting disclosure of personal information. We conducted an online experiment with a between-subject design in Germany, Italy, Poland, and the UK (n=1,217). Neither a 'static' nor a 'dynamic' anthropomorphic character made participants disclose less personal information – in fact, the static character made them disclose more (p=0.03). Findings are interpreted by considering the effect of anthropomorphic characters on trust, which may in turn increase disclosure. Level of education and country also influenced disclosure.

Keywords: privacy behaviour; behavioural economics; personal data; nudges; avatars; trust (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C92 D7 D8 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:beh:jbepv1:v:5:y:2021:i:1:p:45-52

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