Information Disclosure in the Era of Voice Technology

Abstract

Whenever consumers interact with technological devices connected to the internet, they disclose information about themselves. The rapid diffusion of voice technology is shifting the way consumers interact with technological devices from typing or clicking to speaking. This article offers a comprehensive analysis of how this occurring shift from manual to oral communication with technology affects information disclosure. It first considers verbal disclosure and provides a conceptual framework that explicates how voice technology can influence consumers’ propensity to reveal information about themselves through semantic content disclosed voluntarily. It then considers non-verbal disclosure and provides an analysis of how voice technology enables the collection of information revealed rather unintentionally through vocal paralanguage and ambient sound. The article offers testable propositions and poses open research questions that can serve as impetus for future research. Additionally, it provides insights to marketers for how to navigate voice technology as a source of consumer information and to policymakers for how to better protect consumer privacy in interactions with voice technology.

How communication mediums shape the message

“…Melumad, Inman, and Pham (2019) Communicating on smartphones (compared to PCs) is more physically constraining, which we argue that this reduces the ease of deliberating while creating communication. Melzner, Bonezzi, and Meyvis (2022) Oral (compared to manual) information disclosure increases synchronicity, and reduces processing resources, which we argue reduces both the time, and capacity, for deliberation. Shen and Sengupta (2018) Speaking about a brand, rather than writing about it, leads to a greater focus on social interaction, which we argue increases audience salience.…”

“…Melumad and Meyer (2020) Smartphones (compared to PCs) are more frequently used for interpersonal communication, which we argue increases audience salience. Melzner, Bonezzi, and Meyvis (2022) Oral (compared to manual) information disclosure makes the presence of other social actors more salient. Melumad (2023) Speaking (compared to writing) increases audience salience.…”

AI credibility and consumer-AI experiences: a conceptual framework

“…In delegation experience with AI, consumers experiencing empowerment due to high self-efficacy may also disclose more data with AI AI credibility and consumer-AI experiences (Shin et al, 2022). Compared to other methods of AI-based data capture, AI voice assistants collect more verbal and non-verbal information from consumers, which may make data capture exploitative and reduce consumers' willingness to share data or use AI voice assistants (Melzner et al, 2022).…”

“…, 2022). Compared to other methods of AI-based data capture, AI voice assistants collect more verbal and non-verbal information from consumers, which may make data capture exploitative and reduce consumers' willingness to share data or use AI voice assistants (Melzner et al. , 2022).…”

How speaking versus writing to conversational agents shapes consumers’ choice and choice satisfaction

“…Consumer interactions with conversational agents typically involve written communication (Melzner et al, 2023). This is because technology that enables text-based communication (i.e., writing to a conversational agent) tends to be less costly and easier to implement than technology for voice-based communication (i.e., speaking with a conversational agent; Grills, 2019).…”