Chatting with AI: Investigating Snapchat Users' Engagement\nwith Bots and Its Privacy Implications

This study investigates the interactions between Snapchat users and the newly introduced feature - automated bots, focusing on the topics discussed and the underlying motivations, within the framework of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). As Snapchat continues to integrate artificial intelligence into its platform, understanding user behavior and preferences becomes crucial. TAM, which posits that perceived usefulness and ease of use significantly influence technology acceptance, provides a lens to explore these dynamics. To achieve this, we intend to conduct qualitative interviews with a diverse group of Snapchat users. These interviews will delve into the specific topics users engage with bots, uncovering patterns and trends in these interactions. Additionally, we aim to understand the primary motivations driving users to interact with bots, assessing how perceived usefulness and ease of use influence their engagement. Moreover, this study will address the critical issue of privacy. As bots collect and utilize user data, there are inherent privacy concerns that could impact user trust and behavior. By exploring these concerns through the qualitative data, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of how privacy issues intersect with user acceptance of Snapchat bots. The findings from this research will contribute to the broader academic discourse on technology acceptance, particularly in the context of social media and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the insights gained will offer practical implications for developers and designers, guiding the design of user-friendly and privacy-conscious bot interactions on Snapchat. Through this investigation, we hope to shed light on the complex interplay between user behavior, technology acceptance, and privacy in the digital age.