The impact of IoT security labelling on consumer product choice and willingness to pay

PLoS One. 2020 Jan 24;15(1):e0227800. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227800. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The Internet of Things (IoT) brings internet connectivity to everyday electronic devices (e.g. security cameras and smart TVs) to improve their functionality and efficiency. However, serious security and privacy concerns have been raised about the IoT which impact upon consumer trust and purchasing. Moreover, devices vary considerably in terms of the security they provide, and it is difficult for consumers to differentiate between more and less secure devices. One proposal to address this is for devices to carry a security label to help consumers navigate the market and know which devices to trust, and to encourage manufacturers to improve security. Using a discrete choice experiment, we estimate the potential impact of such labels on participant's purchase decision making, along with device functionality and price. With the exception of a label that implied weak security, participants were significantly more likely to select a device that carried a label than one that did not. While they were generally willing to pay the most for premium functionality, for two of the labels tested, they were prepared to pay the same for security and functionality. Qualitative responses suggested that participants would use a label to inform purchasing decisions, and that the labels did not generate a false sense of security. Our findings suggest that the use of a security label represents a policy option that could influence behaviour and that should be seriously considered.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Computer Security / legislation & jurisprudence*
  • Consumer Behavior / economics*
  • Consumer Behavior / statistics & numerical data
  • Decision Making*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet of Things / economics*
  • Internet of Things / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Internet of Things / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pilot Projects
  • Policy
  • Privacy / legislation & jurisprudence
  • Privacy / psychology*
  • Surveys and Questionnaires / statistics & numerical data
  • Wearable Electronic Devices / economics
  • Wearable Electronic Devices / psychology
  • Wearable Electronic Devices / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

SDJ and JB were funded by the UK EPSRC as part of the PETRAS IoT Research Hub - Cybersecurity of the Internet of Things grant no EP/N02334X/1 and the Dawes Centre for Future Crime at University College London.