Publications
Below is a searchable list of publications by the projects of the Priority Program.
1.
Saad, Alia; Winterhalter, Verena; Strauss, Marvin; Schneegass, Stefan
“I Feel More Worried About My Privacy” Public Perceptions of Biometric Traces in Everyday Interactions Proceedings Article
In: Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 2026, ISBN: 9798400722813.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: behavioral biometrics, biometric traces, privacy risks, usable privacy, user awareness
@inproceedings{10.1145/3772363.3798601,
title = {"I Feel More Worried About My Privacy" Public Perceptions of Biometric Traces in Everyday Interactions},
author = {Alia Saad and Verena Winterhalter and Marvin Strauss and Stefan Schneegass},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3772363.3798601},
doi = {10.1145/3772363.3798601},
isbn = {9798400722813},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the Extended Abstracts of the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {New York, NY, USA},
series = {CHI EA '26},
abstract = {People leave behind biometric traces through everyday interactions, often without fully understanding their implications. While biometric technologies increasingly rely on subtle behavioral and interaction-based signals, little is known about how people perceive these traces in daily life. We present findings from an exploratory online study (N = 120) that used short, scenario-based videos to illustrate situations in which biometric traces may be inadvertently exposed, including fingerprints, gait, thermal residues, and interaction patterns in virtual environments. We examine which traces people recognize, how concerned they are about potential misuse, and how brief exposure to such scenarios shapes privacy perception. Results show that awareness and concern frequently diverge. Participants were familiar with visible, well-known biometrics, yet less aware of emerging or interaction-borne traces. Importantly, exposure to the scenarios prompted several participants to reconsider their privacy assumptions.},
keywords = {behavioral biometrics, biometric traces, privacy risks, usable privacy, user awareness},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
People leave behind biometric traces through everyday interactions, often without fully understanding their implications. While biometric technologies increasingly rely on subtle behavioral and interaction-based signals, little is known about how people perceive these traces in daily life. We present findings from an exploratory online study (N = 120) that used short, scenario-based videos to illustrate situations in which biometric traces may be inadvertently exposed, including fingerprints, gait, thermal residues, and interaction patterns in virtual environments. We examine which traces people recognize, how concerned they are about potential misuse, and how brief exposure to such scenarios shapes privacy perception. Results show that awareness and concern frequently diverge. Participants were familiar with visible, well-known biometrics, yet less aware of emerging or interaction-borne traces. Importantly, exposure to the scenarios prompted several participants to reconsider their privacy assumptions.
2.
Paneva, Viktorija; Ma, Yilin; Alt, Florian
Embodied Consent Interfaces: A Design Probe for Privacy Decision-Making in Virtual Reality Proceedings Article
In: Companion Publication of the 2026 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference, pp. 486–490, Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 2026, ISBN: 9798400726323.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Embodiment, Interaction Design., Privacy Permissions, usable privacy, Virtual Reality (VR)
@inproceedings{10.1145/3802974.3809471,
title = {Embodied Consent Interfaces: A Design Probe for Privacy Decision-Making in Virtual Reality},
author = {Viktorija Paneva and Yilin Ma and Florian Alt},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1145/3802974.3809471},
doi = {10.1145/3802974.3809471},
isbn = {9798400726323},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-01-01},
booktitle = {Companion Publication of the 2026 ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference},
pages = {486–490},
publisher = {Association for Computing Machinery},
address = {New York, NY, USA},
series = {DIS '26 Companion},
abstract = {We introduce Embodied Consent Interfaces (ECIs) as a design probe for rethinking privacy consent beyond dialog-window-based notice-and-choice consent mechanisms. ECIs reframe privacy consent as an embodied, performative process in which users engage with permissions through spatial interaction, ongoing revision, and a deliberate act of commitment. We present a functional ECI prototype in Virtual Reality (VR), where data types are represented as interactive 3D objects, enabling users to explore permission information and select, revoke, or revise their consent decisions through embodied interaction. In an exploratory within-subject study (N = 12), we compare this approach to a dialog-based permission interface. Qualitative findings suggest increased engagement and more cautious consent behavior, while also introducing additional interaction overhead. Finally, we discuss ECIs as a design probe to introduce intentional friction at privacy-critical moments and to explore trade-offs between deliberation and efficiency in consent interaction design.},
keywords = {Embodiment, Interaction Design., Privacy Permissions, usable privacy, Virtual Reality (VR)},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {inproceedings}
}
We introduce Embodied Consent Interfaces (ECIs) as a design probe for rethinking privacy consent beyond dialog-window-based notice-and-choice consent mechanisms. ECIs reframe privacy consent as an embodied, performative process in which users engage with permissions through spatial interaction, ongoing revision, and a deliberate act of commitment. We present a functional ECI prototype in Virtual Reality (VR), where data types are represented as interactive 3D objects, enabling users to explore permission information and select, revoke, or revise their consent decisions through embodied interaction. In an exploratory within-subject study (N = 12), we compare this approach to a dialog-based permission interface. Qualitative findings suggest increased engagement and more cautious consent behavior, while also introducing additional interaction overhead. Finally, we discuss ECIs as a design probe to introduce intentional friction at privacy-critical moments and to explore trade-offs between deliberation and efficiency in consent interaction design.