Leakiness and Creepiness in App Space: User Perceptions of Privacy and Mobile App Use.

Mobile devices are playing an increasingly intimate role in everyday life. However, users can be surprised when in- formed of the data collection and distribution activities of apps they install. We report on two studies of smartphone users in western European countries, in which users were confronted with app behaviors and their reactions assessed. Users felt their personal space had been violated in “creepy” ways. Using Altman’s notions of personal space and territoriality, and Nissenbaum’s theory of contextual integrity, we account for these emotional reactions and sug- gest that they point to important underlying issues, even when users continue using apps they find creepy.