Taste for Privacy: How Context, Identity, and Lived-Experience Shape Information Sharing Preferences
2,912 survey responses show private accounts surged from 33% to 67% since 2007...
Researchers from the University of Vermont and other institutions conducted a longitudinal study analyzing 2,912 survey responses from 782 college students over seven survey periods in 2023 and 2024. The study, titled 'Taste for Privacy,' measured comfort sharing personally identifiable information (PII) across 17 institutional contexts, including social media platforms, healthcare providers, and law enforcement. Key findings show a dramatic shift toward private accounts, with 2/3 of participants now using private settings compared to just 1/3 in 2007, indicating a major cultural change in privacy attitudes driven by increased awareness of data risks.
The study also identified a stable ranking of institutional trust, but with high variability for institutions like the police, reflecting divergent lived experiences. Traditionally marginalized groups and participants with adverse childhood experiences showed significantly more discomfort with institutions of power, especially in areas of greater vulnerability. The authors argue for context-adaptive privacy settings that move beyond one-size-fits-all consent frameworks, recognizing that privacy preferences are not fixed traits but are shaped by context, identity, and personal history. This research has implications for designing more equitable data governance systems that account for demographic vulnerabilities.
- Private social media accounts rose from 33% in 2007 to 67% in 2024, a 2x increase in privacy-seeking behavior
- Discomfort sharing PII with platforms strongly predicts privacy settings, more than other factors
- Marginalized groups show higher distrust of police and other power institutions, varying by vulnerability
Why It Matters
This study challenges one-size-fits-all privacy policies, urging context-aware designs that respect diverse lived experiences.