Gaze sharing requires explicit opt-in; default collection is surveillance

What it is

Gaze privacy requires eye position to be collected and shared only in an informed, explicitly activated collaborative context. A gaze trace is continuous behavioral data revealing targets, dwell, avoidance, and reading order. Default collection observes participants even when they take no action and therefore creates surveillance capability beyond ordinary presence.

Why it happens

Collaboration may need gaze briefly for joint pointing, while collection creates a high-frequency, replayable record linkable to identity and content. Reuse for interest or performance inference changes who holds power over the data. Explicit activation, session scope, and ephemeral on-device processing constrain reuse; a general terms notice does not provide situated control.

Studying it

Scenario and usability studies can test understanding of timing, audience, precision, and retention and whether refusal is penalty-free. System audits should verify that sensor, network, and server logging stop or degrade after opt-out. Acceptance rate alone is not ethical validation, especially under workplace hierarchy.

Where it stops holding

Consent does not authorize unlimited purpose. Research, accessibility control, and safety use have different necessity and governance. Coarse viewport data can still be sensitive. When gaze is off, pointers, selections, and speech should preserve core participation.

Applying it

• Activate gaze separately within the specific session and continuously expose collection, audience, and retention.
• Prefer ephemeral on-device processing and transmit only task-required coarse cues.
• Separate collaboration from analytics, research, and evaluation authorization.
• Inspect sensor and network traffic after opt-out and test full task access for refusers.

Related

• Same group: V2.07.1 Gaze and scroll indicate attended regions · V2.07.2 Attention cues inform interruptibility · V2.07.4 Inferred attention is uncertain · V2.07.5 Value rises with work coupling
• Adjacent: V2.05 Shared cursors and selections · V2.09 Boundary between awareness and surveillance
• Search terms: gaze privacy · eye tracking surveillance · purpose limitation