One thing that became clear when writing an article on need signal is that we are just scratching the surface in our understanding of information privacy, both practically and from a scholarly standpoint. This is because of the dynamic nature of technological advancement, which is driven by the ingenuity of human minds and endeavors; the creative instincts that exist in society despite varying socio-economic and socio-political levels; and the derivative reward and pursuit of excellence.
The principal idea discussed in the article is the concept of information privacy equipoise, and the role of need signal in our decisions and willingness to transact online and disclose our personal information or personal data. In its simplest form, we have a need signal when we know that we need something, and we are in an information privacy equipoise when we are mentally ready to proceed with a transaction online despite our previous information privacy leanings or our natural or desired state of information privacy.
The construct is not “want signal” but “need signal” because want denotes a wish or desire, whereas need indicates a requirement or necessity. Besides, empirical evidence supports the relationship between the need signal and information privacy equipoise.
The information privacy equipoise concept is as such:
- Information privacy equipoise is a point at which a person’s desired state or natural state of information privacy is altered or compromised to the extent that the person’s privacy concern is at equilibrium with his or her natural desired state of information privacy.
- There are categories of the desired state of information privacy. Some of the well-known categories include the Solitude, Reserve, Intimacy and Anonymity and the Fundamentalist, Pragmatist and Unconcerned.
- Our desired state of information privacy is at the individual level.
- Our desired state of information privacy is primarily based on our perceived privacy risk, benefit and natural risk tolerance.
- We are not monotonic in our view of information privacy, even when our socio-economic and socio-political levels and thinkings are similar or relative.
- We enter into information privacy equipoise intermittently or regularly to transact online and disclose personal data based on our desired state of information privacy, a need signal and information privacy equipoise.
- At the information privacy equipoise, a person would need neither more nor less privacy.
One area of this concept that may require input from the community or further inquiry is intermittency and regularity. On one side, one can posit that regardless of whether we are a Fundamentalist, Pragmatist or Unconcerned in our desired state of information privacy, we must be at an instance of information privacy equipoise to transact online. On the other hand, one can also argue that the Unconcerned is always at information privacy equipoise because they do not have privacy concerns. Whether being unconcerned means zero concern or mostly unconcerned is an open and unanswered question in the extant literature and practice. Does being unconcerned means having zero concern?
A forward-looking view of information privacy equipoise as a concept demands more academic and applied inquires. Reminiscing on the import of pure and applied research, the time has come for the information privacy community, practitioners and researchers alike, to rethink the value of information, the costs of information leaks, and the privacy concerns and controls around the world in light of the information privacy equipoise.
Editor’s note: For further insights on this topic, read Patrick Offor’s recent Journal article, “Need Signal: Privacy Information Equipoise,” ISACA Journal, volume 2, 2021.
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