“Search disclosure”

Abstract

The authors propose a concept of “search disclosure” to assist in the understanding of the willingness of a user to moderate their digital information seeking behaviour as a result of the perceived anonymity afforded at the point of searching and information consumption. Differences in the way people search for health information on touch‐screen kiosks, the Internet and digital interactive television are thought to result partly from the anonymity of the place in which the search is conducted. Data have been drawn from 11 independent studies, involving questionnaire, interview and log analysis methods across the three digital information platforms. These studies were all funded by the Department of Health as part of the evaluation of the national roll‐out of digital information and advice services to the consumer. Search disclosure is important in not only providing an understanding of existing consumer search behaviour but also in helping to design personalised online services, such as the electronic patient record. The data presented are speculative in nature and further work is being conducted to gather more robust data.