We make a nice pair: Pairing the mID with a NeuroTechnology privacy enhancing technology improves mID download intentions

Abstract

Mobile identification (mID) allows users to prove identity across many situations like when traveling through an airport; however, the personally identifiable information in the mID, if mishandled, poses a great threat to privacy. One solution is NeuroTechnology privacy enhancing technologies (PETs), which can be paired with the mID to authenticate users using one's unique neuro-proprioceptive signals that are safer than traditional security methods like facial recognition. Across two studies, we explore how TAM constructs impact mID download intentions (DI) and how pairing the PET with the mID impacts DI. In Study 1 (N = 465), mID-specific privacy concerns, anxiety (mID-ANX), general privacy concerns, and perceived privacy risk (mID-PPR) were strong negative predictors of DI. In Study 2 (N = 420), pairing the NeuroTechnology PET with the mID led to decreased mID-PPR and mID-ANX, and increased DI. An experimental mediation model demonstrated that pairing the NeuroTechnology PET with the mID was linked to higher DI because of decreased mID-PPR and mID-ANX leading to greater mID positive attitudes. Because privacy concerns and anxiety are barriers to technology acceptance in the TAM literature, NeuroTechnology PETs provide a solution to reduce privacy concerns and anxiety, and improve technology adoption.