"Can We Be Manipulated Into Sharing Private Info Online? Yes, Says Ben-Gurion U. Study"
According to a new study conducted by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers, online users are more likely to disclose private information depending on how website forms ask for information. Their study demonstrated how smartphone and PC users of online services could be led into revealing more information about themselves. The researchers manipulated how information items such as name, address, email, and more, are presented on a website form and observed how such manipulation affects the likelihood that users sign-up for a service. One of the techniques used by the BGU researchers to entice users to reveal more of their private information is the requesting of personal information from less important to more private. Another effective technique is placing each request for information on successive, separate pages. The general public and regulators must be aware of ascending privacy intrusion and multiple-page manipulations. This article continues to discuss the study on the manipulation of online users into disclosing private information, the techniques used to increase the likelihood of online disclosure, and the importance of raising awareness about these methods.