Eyes on privacy: acceptance of video-based AAL impacted by activities being filmed

Abstract

Introduction: The use of video-based ambient assisted living (AAL) technologies represents an innovative approach to supporting older adults living as independently and autonomously as possible in their homes. These visual devices have the potential to increase security, perceived safety, and relief for families and caregivers by detecting, among others, emergencies or serious health situations. Despite these potentials and advantages, using video-based technologies for monitoring different activities in everyday life evokes concerns about privacy intrusion and data security. For a sustainable design and adoption of such technical innovations, a detailed analysis of future users' acceptance, including perceived benefits and barriers is required and possible effects and privacy needs of different activities being filmed should be taken into account.

Methods: Therefore, the present study investigated the acceptance and benefit-barrier-perception of using video-based AAL technologies for different activities of daily living based on a scenario-based online survey (N = 146).

Results: In the first step, the results identified distinct evaluation patterns for 25 activities of daily living with very high (e.g., changing clothes, showering) and very low privacy needs (e.g., gardening, eating, and drinking). In a second step, three exemplary activity types were compared regarding acceptance, perceived benefits, and barriers. The acceptance and the perceived benefits of using video-based AAL technologies revealed to be higher in household and social activities compared to intimate activities. The strongest barrier perception was found for intimate activities and mainly regarded privacy concerns.

Discussion: The results can be used to derive design and information recommendations for the conception, development, and communication of video-based AAL technologies in order to meet the requirements and needs of future users.

Keywords: activities of daily living (ADLs); assistive technology; cameras; privacy need; privacy perception; technology acceptance; video-based ambient and assisted living (AAL).

Figure 1

Empirical design.

Figure 2

Evaluations of privacy need for 25 activities of daily living (Mean values adjunct to bars. Error bars show standard error).

Figure 3

Visualization of specific acceptance of video-based AAL monitoring (Mean values adjunct to bars. Error bars show standard error).

Figure 4

Visualization of benefits and barriers overall (Mean values adjunct to bars. Error bars show standard error).

Figure 5

Visualization of benefits on item level (Mean values adjunct to bars. Error bars show standard error).

Figure 6

Visualization of barriers on item level (Mean values adjunct to bars. Error bars show standard error).