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One app to trace them all? Examining app specifications for mass acceptance of contact-tracing apps

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  • Simon Trang
  • Manuel Trenz
  • Welf H. Weiger
  • Monideepa Tarafdar
  • Christy M.K. Cheung

Abstract

The current COVID-19 crisis has seen governments worldwide mobilising to develop and implement contact-tracing apps as an integral part of their lockdown exit strategies. The challenge facing policy makers is that tracing can only be effective if the majority of the population uses the one app developed; its specifications must therefore be carefully considered. We theorise on tracing apps and mass acceptance and conduct a full-factorial experiment to investigate how app installation intention is influenced by different app specifications based on three benefit appeals, two privacy designs, and two convenience designs. By applying quantile regression, we not only estimate the general effect of these app specifications but also uncover how their influence differs among citizens with different propensities for acceptance (i.e. critics, undecided, advocates) – a crucial insight for succeeding with mass acceptance. This study contributes to research in three ways: we theorise how mass acceptance differs from established app acceptance, we provide a fine-grained approach to investigating the app specifications salient for mass acceptance, and we reveal contextualised insights specific to tracing apps with multi-layered benefit structures. Our findings can guide policy makers by providing specification recommendations for facilitating mass acceptance of tracing apps during pandemics or other societal crises.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon Trang & Manuel Trenz & Welf H. Weiger & Monideepa Tarafdar & Christy M.K. Cheung, 2020. "One app to trace them all? Examining app specifications for mass acceptance of contact-tracing apps," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(4), pages 415-428, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tjisxx:v:29:y:2020:i:4:p:415-428
    DOI: 10.1080/0960085X.2020.1784046
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    Cited by:

    1. Barbarossa, Camilla & Patrizi, Michela & Vernuccio, Maria & Carmen Di Poce, Maria & Pastore, Alberto, 2023. "The resistance toward COVID-19 contact tracing apps: A study of psychological reactance among young adults in Italy," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    2. Felix B. Buesching & Dennis M. Steininger & Daniel J. Veit, 2023. "Governing digital crisis responses: platform standards and the dilemma of COVID-19 contact tracing," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 267-323, January.

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