What is it about?
Our research maps the current landscape of user-centred privacy and data protection research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Conducting a systematic mapping study, we analysed 231 studies to identify key themes and challenges in this field. We developed a thematic map highlighting three major areas: (a) Improving Privacy Policies – Making privacy policies clearer and more user-friendly. (b) Raising Privacy Awareness – Helping users understand risks and make informed choices. (c) Controlling Information Disclosure – Empowering users to manage their data-sharing preferences. Another finding is that nearly 45% of studies lack real user involvement, suggesting a gap between research and actual user needs.
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Why is it important?
Privacy regulations like the GDPR set important guidelines, but they don’t always translate into usable, user-friendly privacy solutions. Our thematic mapping provides a structured overview of the research landscape, identifying gaps and challenges in designing technology that helps users to protect their privacy.
Perspectives
Our research provides a structured overview of how privacy is approached in HCI, helping researchers, policymakers, and designers navigate this evolving field. By identifying thematic trends and challenges, we offer a map for more effective privacy solutions. For researchers, this study highlights key gaps in user-centred privacy research and provides a foundation for future investigations. For designers and developers, it emphasises the importance of human-centred privacy tools that are both compliant with regulations and practical for users. For policymakers, our findings highlight the need for privacy regulations that not only enforce compliance but also encourage user-friendly, accessible, and practical implementations.
Shirlei Chaves
Instituto Federal de Educacao Ciencia e Tecnologia de Santa Catarina
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: User-Centred Privacy and Data Protection: An Overview of Current Research Trends and Challenges for the Human-Computer Interaction Field, ACM Computing Surveys, January 2025, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery),
DOI: 10.1145/3715903.
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