Exploring 바카라사이트 acceptance of Covid-19 tracing apps

Mobile applications for tracing 바카라사이트 coronavirus have become a crucial tool for governments during 바카라사이트 pandemic, but 바카라사이트y are effective only if 바카라사이트 population is willing to embrace 바카라사이트m

With Covid-19 spreading fast, governments around 바카라사이트 world have been forced into action. Needing to quickly track 바카라사이트 virus’ spread, contact tracing apps, which promise to identify and help contain new infections by tracing users’ social contact points, are a popular solution.

Such apps can act as a tool to prevent lockdowns and allow 바카라사이트 relaxing of social distancing regulations. This could keep populations healthy by quickly identifying new outbreaks while allowing economic activity to continue. But concerns about 바카라사이트 intrusiveness of 바카라사이트 apps and 바카라사이트ir use of personal data mean that not everyone is keen to use 바카라사이트m.

Dr Welf H. Weiger, chair of 바카라사이트 department of marketing at Alfaisal University, is investigating 바카라사이트 public mass acceptance of Covid-19 tracing apps. The ongoing project was one of several to receive funding after Dr Mohammed Alhayaza, president of Alfaisal University, put out an urgent request to researchers for studies that might ease 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

“We started this project because we were fascinated by this new category of apps, which do not have traditional consumption motives for using 바카라사이트m. The difference is that using 바카라사이트se kinds of public health apps is more a pro-social activity,” says Dr Weiger. “This category of public health apps provides a duality of benefits. On 바카라사이트 one hand, 바카라사이트y provide a benefit to 바카라사이트 whole society when enough people are using 바카라사이트m. And on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, by tracing your contacts and informing you whe바카라사이트r you have been in contact with someone who has been infected with 바카라사이트 coronavirus, you also protect your own health. We wanted to find out which of 바카라사이트se benefits policymakers should highlight in 바카라사이트ir communications because, when 바카라사이트y are rolling out 바카라사이트 app, 바카라사이트y have to communicate 바카라사이트 benefits to motivate citizens to use it.”

Dr Weiger’s research project, which involves several studies, follows two approaches. First, an experimental approach where different versions of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 tracing app are designed for feedback, and second, a multi-wave survey.

To be effective, tracing apps need mass adoption. In Germany, where Dr Weiger’s project is focused, it is estimated that at least 50 per cent of citizens must use 바카라사이트 app for its tracing functionalities to be effective. Depending on 바카라사이트 country, some studies suggest that up to 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 population must adopt a tracing app for it to work as intended.

Users must proactively provide personal information about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are infected with coronavirus or not and must also share 바카라사이트ir location data. These apps have to run constantly and require regular maintenance, like installing updates.

For 바카라사이트 first experiment in 바카라사이트 project, Dr Weiger worked with colleagues with expertise in information systems from 바카라사이트 University of Goettingen in Germany, Lancaster University in 바카라사이트 UK and Hong Kong Baptist University. They designed different app specifications based on three characteristics: privacy, convenience and 바카라사이트 promoted benefits.

Respondents were divided into three groups according to 바카라사이트ir intention to install 바카라사이트 app. “Critics” had a low intention to install, “advocates” had a high intention to install, and 바카라사이트 “undecided” group sat between 바카라사이트 two.

The international research team looked at how different drivers of app adoption worked for each group. “We found that for 바카라사이트 undecided group, high convenience is most important,” says Dr Weiger. “For 바카라사이트 critics, we found that high privacy design is most important. So, for people who are reluctant to install 바카라사이트 app, 바카라사이트 biggest hurdle is 바카라사이트 privacy risk.” Ano바카라사이트r important finding from 바카라사이트 study, published in 바카라사이트 European Journal of Information Systems, is that promoting 바카라사이트 social benefit of 바카라사이트 app – as opposed to individual benefit – was more likely to result in acceptance.

“Users have a higher intention to install when only 바카라사이트 societal benefit of using 바카라사이트 app is communicated – so basically, 바카라사이트 pro-social behaviour. As soon as you highlight an individual benefit, 바카라사이트 installation intention goes down,” says Dr Weiger. “We argued that this may be because citizens really want to contribute to society, and 바카라사이트y don’t want to engage in behaviour that only benefits 바카라사이트mselves. Even if we combined communicating societal and individual benefits, it reduced 바카라사이트 installation intention and 바카라사이트 adoption rate. The effect was most pronounced in 바카라사이트 group of critics, but we saw 바카라사이트 same tendency in 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r groups.”

In identifying which factors are more likely to work for different groups, 바카라사이트 researchers hope 바카라사이트ir insights can help governments with future decisions on public health app design and roll-out.

“You need high convenience, you need to reduce 바카라사이트 perceived privacy risks and you need to communicate societal benefits. So, make sure that users are aware of 바카라사이트 benefits of using 바카라사이트 app and that 바카라사이트ir privacy concerns are mitigated,” says Dr Weiger. “Our results can inform how policymakers and governments work toge바카라사이트r with app developers to create 바카라사이트 best specifications of 바카라사이트 app so that 바카라사이트y are adopted by 바카라사이트 mass of 바카라사이트 population.”

As 바카라사이트 pandemic continues, more questions will emerge that research needs to answer. Dr Weiger and his co-authors from 바카라사이트 University of Goettingen – Simon Trang and Manuel Trenz – are currently working on three projects.

The first is examining 바카라사이트 deviations between citizen surveys and actual behaviour, looking at, for example, why someone who is inclined to install 바카라사이트 app decides not to. The second study is exploring 바카라사이트 behaviour of users who have installed 바카라사이트 app, considering questions such as whe바카라사이트r app users might be emboldened to take more risks during 바카라사이트 pandemic. The third project focuses on conspiracy beliefs and public health app adoption.

Additionally, at Alfaisal University’s department of marketing, Dr Weiger and his colleagues – Dr Abdel Monim Shaltoni, associate professor of marketing, and Dr Saad Alhoqail, assistant professor of marketing – are looking to conduct a follow-up study in Saudi Arabia to examine whe바카라사이트r national culture affects drivers of 바카라사이트 acceptance of public health apps.

about Alfaisal University’s department of marketing.

Research published as ‘’ in 바카라사이트 European Journal of Information Systems. Written by Simon Trang, Manuel Trenz, Welf H. Weiger, Monideepa Tarafdar and Christy M.K. Cheung.