Privacy Slider: Fine-Grain Privacy Control for Smartphones

Today, users are constrained by binary choices when configuring permissions. These binary choices contrast with the complex data collected, limiting user control and transparency. For instance, weather applications do not need exact user locations when merely inquiring about local weather conditions. We envision sliders to empower users to fine-tune permissions. First, we ran two online surveys (N=123 & N=109) and a workshop (N=5) to develop the initial design of Privacy Slider. After the implementation phase, we evaluated our functional prototype using a lab study (N=32). The results show that our slider design for permission control outperforms today’s system concerning all measures, including control and transparency.