Data Sharing in Wearable Devices based on Privacy and the Users' Security Knowledge

Abstract

Sharing information in wearable devices introduces many benefits in many fields. Users would manage their lifestyle choices using the information they share in technologies embedded in their wearable devices. However, users’ information, such as social activities, daily steps, sleep patterns, or heart rate, are being collected by their wearable devices, leaving them vulnerable to security and privacy risks. Assessing the influential factors such as users’ awareness is a vital step to make effective use of these factors to help in securing the use of wearable technologies. This project aims to relate users’ awareness with their tendency to share information in wearable devices. The project then analyses users sharing preferences to create an interface that would help users securely share different types of information with the proper entity. The user interface then was evaluated to measure the usability and efficiency of the proposed interface. The project asserts the importance of security and privacy awareness and attempts to minimise the risks of sharing personal data in wearable devices. To reduce the risk arising from wearable devices, users need to educate themselves and become more aware of their security and privacy. Wearable devices designers and researchers should take equal consideration to incorporate security and privacy measures while designing wearable technologies. The regulatory framework also needs to stress the importance of users’ privacy and enforce manufacturers to include security and privacy principles in digital development.