Paths to social licence for tracking-data analytics in university research and services

Area of Science:

• Data Analytics
• Privacy Studies
• Social License

Background:

• Tracking-data analytics offers significant institutional benefits but raises privacy concerns.
• A social license, or broad community acceptance beyond legal compliance, is crucial for data analytics implementation.
• Understanding the social license for Wi-Fi tracking in university settings is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the social license for Wi-Fi-based tracking-data analytics within a university campus environment.
• To determine the factors influencing the acceptability of tracking-data analytics among university staff and students.
• To assess community acceptance beyond mere legal compliance.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire-based study was conducted with university staff and students.
• Participants responded to hypothetical scenarios involving Wi-Fi tracking for university research and services.
• Bayesian logistic mixed-effects regression was used to analyze acceptability judgments based on 11 privacy dimensions.

Main Results:

• Widespread acceptance of tracking-data analytics was observed within the university campus environment.
• Trust, individual benefit, data sensitivity, risk of harm, and institutional respect for privacy were identified as key predictive factors.
• Acceptability was influenced by a nuanced understanding of privacy dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Social license for campus Wi-Fi tracking-data analytics is achievable and influenced by specific factors.
• Building trust and demonstrating institutional respect for privacy are critical for gaining community acceptance.
• Future implementations should consider these factors to ensure broad acceptance beyond legal requirements.