Privacy concerns when using augmented reality face filters? Explaining why and when use avoidance occurs

Abstract

Augmented reality face filters (e.g., Snapchat) are ubiquitous in today's market. Yet, we know little about the impact of individuals' concerns for their own and others' privacy and sharing biometric facial data while interacting with such augmented reality face filters. Our study aims to uncover whether privacy concerns affect responses toward augmented reality face filter apps, as well as the underlying mechanisms of this process, specifically perceived usefulness and flow. First, a survey study shows that individual perceptions of privacy concerns indirectly decrease use intentions and word‐of‐mouth via perceived usefulness and flow. Second, integrating construal level theory, we demonstrate in an experimental study that users report lower use intentions and word‐of‐mouth (again mediated through perceived usefulness and flow) when providing a concrete (vs. abstract) privacy policy. Additionally, we offer evidence for boundary effects and show that these patterns emerge only when users interacted with highly hedonic filters. The research demonstrates that privacy concerns related to use of augmented reality face filters indirectly affects future behavioral intentions and explains the phenomenon through lenses of the privacy paradox and construal level theory. By accounting for how people process information, the research evidence novel mechanisms for interrupting the privacy paradox.

Augmented reality filters on social media. Analyzing the drivers of playability based on uses and gratifications theory

“…The main purpose of sharing their experiences was to connect with others and be amused (Table 3). Thus, in line with previous research that has distinguished AR usage in private and public contexts (Rauschnabel, 2018), and that has shown that users of AR filters have privacy concerns (Cowan et al, 2021), the participants in the focus groups indicated that they used the filters mainly in private contexts, and they shared their experiences only with people they trust, such as friends or family ("I only share my experiences with the people I want. Sometimes I do it privately in a message and sometimes I choose from the list of my Instagram friends and share the story for a limited time"; participant 1, session 1, female; "I would never share an experience with an AR filter publicly!…”

“…Consistent with previous studies that have applied uses and gratifications theory to social media (Claffey & Brady, 2017;Saridakis et al, 2016), entertainment (Li et al, 2015;Ruggiero, 2000) and AR contexts (McLean & Wilson, 2019;Rauschnabel et al, 2017), this research analyzes the hedonic, utilitarian and social gratifications that users derive from interacting with AR filters (Cowan et al, 2021).…”

“…Thus, AR filters as entertainment-based products can be employed to enrich and generate fresh experiences on SNs (Cowan et al, 2021), and previous literature has noted their potential as communications and engagement tools (Farace et al, 2017). Despite these positive expectations, there is a need to adopt a comprehensive approach to understand how AR filters create playable experiences.…”

“…virtual reality (Kim et al, 2020) and AR (Rauschnabel, 2018). Given their novelty, and the entertainment-related aspects of AR filters, the theory of uses and gratifications is a suitable framework to analyze SN users' experiences of these tools (Cowan et al, 2021).…”

“…Augmented reality "filters" (or "lenses"; AR filters henceforth), are digitally based responsive interactions applied to the user's face or surroundings to extend or change what is being viewed in the actual environment (Rios et al, 2018). AR filters are increasingly implemented by brands and social networks (SNs) to sensory enrich and offer novel user experiences (Cowan et al, 2021). Previous research has focused mainly on examining AR filters as shopping tools (Hilken et al, 2017(Hilken et al, , 2021Javornik, 2016a;Mishra et al, 2021;Scholz & Duffy, 2018;Smink et al, 2019).…”