Covid-19 contact-tracing apps are less trusted by those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds
This research, a review article regarding the public acceptance of COVID-19 contact tracing apps, conducted by Yanqing Lin from Aalto University School of Business and co-authors My Villius Zetterholm and Päivi Jokela from Linnaeus University, Sweden, found that public acceptance of digital contact tracing applications varied across national cultures and sociodemographic classes.
They found that it was often less accepted among individuals with lower income, lower education levels, and those with a lower level of trust in authorities.
Furthermore, privacy concerns and fear of surveillance are common barriers to acceptance. Some people do not believe their data will be kept safe or only used for infection control.
Those with greater access to technology and higher education and income are often more accepting of digital contact tracing apps, but trust is generally the most important thing, the research confirms.
Another critical finding involves the misconceptions surrounding these technologies and their role in contact tracing. For example, some people believe that it will protect them by providing immediate warnings when they are near someone who is infected.
The researchers say misconceptions like these are serious and are in need of further investigations, since they might lead to a false sense of safety or unnecessary risk-taking.
They add that we have to make sure that users understand these technologies so that they use them in a safe way.
'A better understanding of human-centered perspectives is critical for this type of emergent technology to be designed and used in an ethical, fair, and effective way', the researchers conclude.
This research was published in the special issue “Managing the Consequences of COVID-19 in the Every-Day Working, Learning, and Interacting Life” of the journal Informatics.
25 studies from four continents across the globe were compiled, and critical topics were identified and discussed.
For example Psychreg has published a news piece on this study:
https://www.psychreg.org/contract-tracing-apps-backgrounds/
Read more news
The journey of a 17th-century shipwreck continues as a unique knitted dress
Researchers at Aalto University transformed surplus wood from the Hahtiperä shipwreck into textile fibre, spun it into yarn, and knitted it into a dress using new AI-assisted technology.
The potential of urban greenery as a climate solution is not being fully utilized – a new handbook offers means to address this
The Handbook for carbon-smart urban green provides concrete tools for leveraging urban green spaces more effectively in climate and nature conservation efforts.
Building a future through digital growth
In an era of complexity, uncertainty, and austerity, a clear vision towards growth is more important than ever. Finland and Europe need economic growth, and digital solutions offer a genuine path forward across all industries. By combining business expertise with academic knowledge, the Center for Digital Business Growth (CDBG) provides concrete support for companies looking to grow.