Citizen in the Loop: A Circular Dynamic of Stress and Information Seeking in Data Ecosystems

Given the access to citizens' data, data ecosystems have the potential to address important societal problems. Thus, it is no surprise that we observe a shift toward opt-out models of data sharing worldwide. However, little is known about how citizens perceive and act in these settings. This study conducts an in-depth study on a health data ecosystem to investigate the psychological processes, stress stimuli, and responses of citizens when confronted with data ecosystems. The findings reveal four stress stimuli – overload, privacy invasion, information deficits, and value incongruence – and detail how stress influences citizens' decisions to either stay or opt out of data ecosystems. They are consolidated in the “Citizen-in-the-Loop” model describing a circular dynamic where citizens respond to stress by seeking information, inadvertently creating further stress and perpetuating the cycle. Practitioners and policymakers can use this understanding to develop policies that reach for both, citizens' data sovereignty and societal benefits.