Contact-Tracing App Acceptance Decisions are Multifaceted and Entangled

This study aimed to determine whether privacy-related assurances in Contact-Tracing App (CTA) descriptions would positively influence adoption intentions. We modelled the influence of privacy-protective design on CTA adoption during a future pandemic. We used an online survey to collect data from an English survey panel: (a) in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic and (b) in 2024, 17 months after the end of the pandemic. The quantitative analysis showed that privacy assurances in app descriptions, with consequent perceived privacy advantages and disadvantages, did not influence the intention to adopt CTAs. Significant adoption intention predictors were: (a) previous installation of the NHS COVID-19 CTA, (b) perceived self-efficacy, (c) trust in the UK government, and (d) perception of disease spread into the community. Our qualitative analysis, however, demonstrated that privacy preservation and trust in government were important considerations informing intention to adopt CTAs, although other factors are also influential. This research makes an original contribution to knowledge by developing and experimentally testing the influence of privacy-related assurances on CTA adoption intention within a novel adoption model. Recommendations focus on re-establishing trust and ensuring that adopters’ privacy is preserved by the app and that public relations campaigns ensure potential adopters are aware of this.