Theory-Motivated Design for Developing Privacy Nudges

Using digital technologies, various data traces are left behind for collection, storage and analysis. Potential risks that the availability of personal information entails, like the vulnerability to discrimination, commercial exploitation and unwanted monitoring, is ubiquitous. Hence, modern IT systems are needed that ensure employees' privacy and informational self-determination. One mechanism to achieve this is the implementation of privacy nudges in modern working systems. Nudging is a mechanism to influence decisions in a predictable way. In this context, privacy nudging concepts should influence employees` behavior in digital working environments in such a way that they make more data protection-friendly decisions. In this research project I am focusing on building an integrative understanding of effective nudging in privacy-related decisions. From this, design knowledge for better privacy nudges in digital work systems should be derived, which can pave the way for more privacy-sensitive IT systems. Successfully implemented privacy nudges can increase acceptance, trust and usage of modern IT-systems. Privacy sensitive IT-systems can then constitute a competitive advantage for the company. On the side of society, informational self-determination can be ensured and the potential risks that the availability of personal information entails can be reduced.