Health vs. privacy? The risk-risk tradeoff in using COVID-19 contact-tracing apps

Abstract

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact-tracing apps have emerged as reliable tools for public health communication and the promotion of preventative health. However, to function properly, contact-tracing apps require users to provide sensitive information, which has raised concerns about data disclosure, misuse and social surveillance. Little is known about how different types of risk perception simultaneously hinder and motivate individuals' engagement in mobile health apps, particularly in the context of a pandemic. Based on the privacy calculus theory and the risk-risk tradeoff concept, this study examined the risk-risk tradeoff model to enhance the understanding of COVID-19 contact-tracing app users’ decision from the perspective of risk minimization. Findings from PLS-SEM and fsQCA revealed that users engage in health risk-privacy risk tradeoff when evaluating and deciding to use the apps. The focal study therefore contributes to the research on privacy calculus theory and calls for a balanced managerial solution to mitigate this tradeoff dilemma.

Contact Tracing: Ensuring Privacy and Security

“…It is worth noting "the Google Play Services component of these apps is problematic from a privacy viewpoint" [12] (i.e., mainly for GAEN-based contact tracing apps users on Android). This may justify why many people are reluctant to download and use contact tracing apps (i.e., The health-privacy trade-off [13]).…”

Withdrawn

“…(Kaspar, 2020) These privacy concerns stemmed from the fact that to be efficient, mobile apps may need access to users' personal information (e.g., identity, location, system settings, voice and text), which raises concerns about potential wrongful data disclosure, misuse and social surveillance. (Duc Tran & Trung Nguyen, 2021) The significant privacy concerns with using contact-tracing apps (Carlsson Hauff & Nilsson, 2021) may not be unconnected from the massive collection of private data and lax attitudes towards privacy protection during the pandemic. The apps collect personal data on a vast level, which could potentially result in a gross violation of user privacy.…”

“…Unfortunately, such emergency decisions may potentially result in loosening regulations of digital private data privacy and 6 regularizing the deployment of what would seem like social surveillance. (Duc Tran & Trung Nguyen, 2021)There is also a potential risk of users' personal information and sensitive data being stolen should hackers that are within the vicinity of these devices (M. Zhang et al, 2020) COVID-19 apps are a target of malicious and phishing attacks with ransomware that can compromise patient records confidentiality and integrity. Therefore, privacy concerns are not insignificant.…”

“…This seems to support prior studies linking health risk and privacy risk perception with the adoption of healthcare technologies. (Duc Tran & Trung Nguyen, 2021) This is further compounded by the realization that there is a perceived lack of clarity regarding related legal frameworks for dealing with new technologies used for managing private health information. (Kaliyadan et al, 2020) Consequently, some researchers have raised concern that since the utility of these apps has not yet been proven, they should probably not be used as a preventive tool until the bioethics and legal issues related to their use are resolved.…”

“…Contact-tracing applications (apps) have emerged as reliable tools for public health communication and the promotion of public health. (Duc Tran & Trung Nguyen, 2021) Hence, many countries have developed and deployed contact tracing technologies to curb the spread of the disease by locating and isolating people who have been in contact with coronavirus carriers. (Toch & Ayalon, 2021).…”