TY - GEN
T1 - Why Johnny can't opt out
T2 - 30th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2012
AU - Leon, Pedro G.
AU - Ur, Blase
AU - Balebako, Rebecca
AU - Cranor, Lorrie Faith
AU - Shay, Richard
AU - Wang, Yang
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - We present results of a 45-participant laboratory study investigating the usability of nine tools to limit online behavioral advertising (OBA). We interviewed participants about OBA and recorded their behavior and attitudes as they configured and used a privacy tool, such as a browser plugin that blocks requests to specific URLs, a tool that sets browser cookies indicating a user's preference to opt out of OBA, or the privacy settings built into a web browser. We found serious usability flaws in all tools we tested. Participants found many tools difficult to configure, and tools' default settings were often minimally protective. Ineffective communication, confusing interfaces, and a lack of feedback led many participants to conclude that a tool was blocking OBA when they had not properly configured it to do so. Without being familiar with many advertising companies and tracking technologies, it was difficult for participants to use the tools effectively.
AB - We present results of a 45-participant laboratory study investigating the usability of nine tools to limit online behavioral advertising (OBA). We interviewed participants about OBA and recorded their behavior and attitudes as they configured and used a privacy tool, such as a browser plugin that blocks requests to specific URLs, a tool that sets browser cookies indicating a user's preference to opt out of OBA, or the privacy settings built into a web browser. We found serious usability flaws in all tools we tested. Participants found many tools difficult to configure, and tools' default settings were often minimally protective. Ineffective communication, confusing interfaces, and a lack of feedback led many participants to conclude that a tool was blocking OBA when they had not properly configured it to do so. Without being familiar with many advertising companies and tracking technologies, it was difficult for participants to use the tools effectively.
KW - Cookies
KW - Online behavioral advertising
KW - Privacy
KW - Usability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84862112910&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84862112910&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/2207676.2207759
DO - 10.1145/2207676.2207759
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84862112910
SN - 9781450310154
T3 - Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems - Proceedings
SP - 589
EP - 598
BT - Conference Proceedings - The 30th ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, CHI 2012
Y2 - 5 May 2012 through 10 May 2012
ER -