1. Personalization & Privacy: Flow of Information
LIS3201 – Research & Data Analysis in Information Technology
Kristopher Mangahas
 Lauren Prince
 Bradley Patterson
 Enderlin Leonce
 Andre Villavicencio

2. Why is this important? Personalized advertising gets too personal
Consumers also unknowingly give up their ability to control and steer their behaviors online
Data tracking is inevitable
55% of people involved did not feel that the information a store or business has on that individual could be used to improve the services provided for them (Draper, 2015).

3. Why we ask questions?
Companies don’t normally disclose the actual handling of consumer data.
Interested in hearing how informed consumers are of these business practices.
Many consumers wish to be more educated on these matters to make more informed decisions (Milne and Bahl 2010) .
We seek to learn how much consumers know about the data tracking that goes on.

4. Research Questions
Q1 - “To what extent do consumers know about companies collecting user information?”
Q2 - “To what extent do consumers know about how companies use their information?
Q3 - What are ways that consumers can take to control their information?
Q4 - Do individuals feel the trade off of information is worth the convenience?

5. Our Methods Survey and Interviews! Population: Sampling Methods:
Surveys for a broad view of how much our participants knew
Interviews for more personal and detail information
Population:
18-22 year old college students at FSU
Sampling Methods:
Non-Random volunteer sampling / convenience sampling.
Allowed us to get a broad range of people, but allowed us to

6. How we did it? Data Collection Process Survey Interview
We sent the survey to as many people as we could and asked them to complete it at their convenience.
Interview
We went to busy areas around campus, namely the libraries and the Student union to find possible volunteers.
Only took volunteers that willingly gave us their time.

7. Research Question #1
“To what extent do consumers know about companies collecting user information?”
Do consumers know about the different activities that companies are willing to track?
Are consumers knowledgeable about companies monitoring their online activity.
Used to get a broad view of how well people know about companies collecting their information

8. Research Question 1 Results
Survey
Q6. Do you believe your online activity is tracked?
Q5. How well do you agree with this statement? I have complete control of my information.
63.64% Strong Believe
30.91 Somewhat Believe
18.18% Agree, Somewhat Agree
7.72 Neutral
10.91 Somewhat Disagree Disagree

9. Research Question 1 Results
Survey
Q7. Do you normally keep the location/gps feature on your phone on?
42.59% - No
57.41% Yes
Interview
Are you familiar with any of the ways that companies can collect information?
“Take our searches”
“Buy our information”
“We give it to them, done we?”
“I don’t really know.”

10. Research Question 2
“To what extent do consumers know about how companies use their information?
Survey
Q10 – In your opinion what kind of information do you eel safe about giving to companies? If none, say none.

11. Research Question 2 Survey
Q16 – Have you at any time benefited from any of these incentives?

12. Research Question 2 Interview
Q7 – Can you describe a time where you felt that you information was being time?
“Something I just searched was one of the ads I saw”
“I was on a website and then I suddenly received coupons for that website”
“Facebook knows what I just viewed.”
Q15 - In your opinion what are disadvantages of companies using consumer personal information?
“My Identity could be stolen”
“My information wouldn’t be safe”
“Privacy Issues”
“A lot, I don't really know”

13. Research Question 3
“What are ways that consumers can take to control their information?”
Survey
Q11 – Are you part of any membership/rewards wit any online or physical companies?

14. Research Question 3

15. Research Question 3 Interview
Q8 - Are you aware of any ways that you can personally have more control over your information?
There is a correlation between people benefiting from incentives given by companies and knowing ways to personally have more control of their information.
Some choose to willingly give out information
Cost of convenience vs. safety of personal information
6/10 participants had responses of being unsure of ways to control their information
“Mhmm, I’m not really sure to be honest” or “I have no clue”.
Lack of knowledge

16. Research Question 4
People are willing to give some information in exchange for certain benefits. Having a membership usually requires you to provide at a minimum a Name and .

17. Research Question 4
People are comfortable giving some information to companies, however most do not believe companies should have access to any information that was not given to the company by the customer.

18. Research Question 4
Most people said that it would depend when asked if they would stop their purchase if it required them to make an account. However very few said they would actually stop if this step was required.

19. Research Question 4
From our gathered info we can infer that a majority of willing exchange their information with companies for certain benefits.
A perfect example of this is any membership program that sends you personalized ads based on your purchase history.
People seem to be ok with giving a limited amount of information to companies if they feel the trade off is worth it.

20. Our Findings
RQ1: To what extent do consumers know about the different ways companies collect consumer information?
People know that they are being tracked and collected, however they still think they have control over what is being collected. the main problem is that they are unaware of the ways in which companies collect their information.
RQ2: To what extent do consumers know about how companies use their information?
Consumers are generally unaware of how companies use their information. Companies use consumer's information in many ways, but most commonly for personalized ads to try and get consumers to buy certain products.

21. Our Findings
RQ3: What are ways that consumers can take to control their information?
Most of the consumers felt that the best way to take control of their information was too be more informed.
One problem we highlighted was that many people didn’t really know how to actively start controlling their information.
RQ4: Do individuals feel the trade off of information is worth the convenience?
Yes, most consumers feel that as long as they control the amount of information given to the companies that the trade off is worth it.

22. Our Conclusions
We tend to agree with our consumers in that the trade off of a little privacy is definitely worth the convenience.
The best way to protect yourself is to simply be informed and know what you are getting yourself into.
Most people, while wanting their information safe, still want to benefit from company incentives but don’t know how to control the flow of information.

23. Our Limitations Time Frame Our instruments Sample population
The length of the semester was the deadline for our research.
Prevented us from doing more in-depth research and analysis
Our instruments
Methods in terms of instruments were mainly based around convenience.
Many of the surveys were sent to friends or just random people we know.
Sample population
When in reality this topic effects everyone we were only able to talk to small number of people.
People of different ages might also change the results of our research.

24. Our Reflection
“The entire thing was just really interesting to go through. To go through every step from the conception to the analysis was engaging”
Challenges
Getting people to participate
Creating the actual instruments
Thinking of how to tackle the topic
Lessons
Don’t Procrastinate
Always have a plan
Ask friends
Have Fun