A Visualization Interface to Improve the Transparency of Collected Personal Data on the Internet

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Information Visualization
• Data Privacy

Background:

• Online services present privacy risks through mass surveillance and data breaches.
• Users often feel powerless and neglect online behavior due to complex data handling.
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grants data access rights, but data exports are difficult for users to analyze.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce TransparencyVis, a web-based interface for exploring personal data exports.
• To increase user awareness of stored personal data and the consequences of online actions.
• To provide a unified approach for visualizing data from diverse online services.

Main Methods:

• Development of a web-based interface for interactive data exploration.
• Focus on visual and interactive analysis of data exports.
• Design study approach with an accessible online prototype.

Main Results:

• TransparencyVis enables users to visually and interactively explore their personal data.
• The tool aims to demystify data exports from various online platforms.
• A best practice for unifying and presenting data from different sources is established.

Conclusions:

• TransparencyVis enhances user understanding of their digital footprint.
• Increased data transparency can empower users regarding their online privacy.
• The prototype serves as a foundation for future privacy-enhancing tools.