Exploring Adoption of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies Among LGBTQ+ LIS Students in the United States: Motivations and Challenges

The rapid advancement of technology has presented marginalized communities in libraries with numerous privacy and security challenges. Many researchers have emphasized the importance of Privacy-Enhancing Technologies (PETs), suggesting that these technical solutions can effectively assist users in safeguarding their personally identifiable information. This qualitative research project conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with US-based, LGBTQ+ Library and Information Science (LIS) students aiming to explore their motivations, challenges, and criteria for PET usage. The results revealed that the future LIS professionals commonly utilize two-factor authentication and ad-blocker software to protect their online identity and locations. Participants also experienced significant challenges in using PETs, such as high costs, limited educational awareness about their existence and utility, and difficulties in understanding how to effectively utilize them.