Structural and functional explanations for informing lay and expert users: the case of functional encryption
Authors: Ala Sarah Alaqra (Karlstad University), Farzaneh Karegar (Karlstad University), Simone Fischer-Hübner (Karlstad University & Chalmers University of Technology)
Volume: 2023
Issue: 4
Pages: 359–380
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56553/popets-2023-0115
Abstract: Usable explanations of privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) help users make more informed privacy decisions, but the explanations of PETs are generally geared toward individuals with more technical knowledge. To explain functional encryption (FE) to experts and laypersons, we investigate structural and functional explanations and explore users' interests and preferences, as well as how they affect users' comprehension and decisions about sharing data. To this end (with an EU-based population), we conducted four focus groups, in combination with walk-throughs, with 13 participants in the first study, followed by an online survey with 347 experts and 370 laypersons. Both explanations were considered useful in fulfilling the different needs of participants interested in the privacy policy information. Participants, regardless of their expertise, trusted and were more satisfied with the structural explanation. However, functional explanations had a higher contribution to all participants' comprehension. We, therefore, recommend combining both types of explanations for a usable privacy policy.
Keywords: functional encryption, functional & structural explanation, transparency, privacy, usability, user comprehension, mental models
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