Informed ShoppAR - Visualizing Privacy Information in Augmented Reality

Abstract

Personal informatics devices, such as fitness trackers, become increasingly popular. When selecting a product in store, users do not only make a decision about a product’s functionality. Beyond what is written on the packaging, a purchase also decides about which consumer data will be collected, how it will be used and with whom it will be shared. Privacy policies and terms and conditions inform users before the initial product usage. Many do not read these texts and remain unaware of what they agreed to. With this paper we argue that privacy information should be shown before purchasing a device. We explore how Augmented Reality (AR) may be used to facilitate informed decision-making. We implemented and evaluated the user experience of an AR app in a mock-up electronics store. Our results highlight the potential of AR visualizations for displaying privacy information in a purchasing context.