User disbelief in privacy paradox: Heuristics that determine disclosure

We conducted a series of in-depth focus groups wherein users provided rationales for their own online privacy behaviors. Our data suggest that individuals often take action with little thought or evaluation, even showing surprise when confronted with their own behaviors. Our analysis yielded a battery of cognitive heuristics, i.e., mental shortcuts/rules of thumb, that users seem to employ when they disclose or withhold information at the spur of the moment. A total of 4 positive heuristics (promoting disclosure) and 4 negative heuristics (inhibiting disclosure) were discovered. An understanding of these heuristics can be valuable for designing interfaces that promote secure and trustworthy computing.