A proxy for privacy: Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Standard

A proxy for privacy : Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps. / Lai, Signe Sophus; Flensburg, Sofie.

In: Big Data & Society, Vol. 7, No. 2, 15.07.2020, p. 1-20.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Lai, SS & Flensburg, S 2020, 'A proxy for privacy: Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps', Big Data & Society, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951720942543

APA

Lai, S. S., & Flensburg, S. (2020). A proxy for privacy: Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps. Big Data & Society, 7(2), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951720942543

Vancouver

Lai SS, Flensburg S. A proxy for privacy: Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps. Big Data & Society. 2020 Jul 15;7(2):1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/2053951720942543

Author

Lai, Signe Sophus ; Flensburg, Sofie. / A proxy for privacy : Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps. In: Big Data & Society. 2020 ; Vol. 7, No. 2. pp. 1-20.

Bibtex

@article{d9382d85d3424dbd93f1911acb690748,
title = "A proxy for privacy: Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps",
abstract = "The article develops a methodological and empirical approach for gauging the ways Big Data can be collected and distributed through mobile apps. This approach focuses on the infrastructural components that condition the disclosure of smartphone users{\textquoteright} data – namely the permissions that apps request and the third-party corporations they work with. We explore the surveillance ecology of mobile apps and thereby the privacy implications of everyday smartphone use through three analytical perspectives: The first focuses on the {\textquoteleft}appscapes{\textquoteright} of individual smartphone users and investigates the consequences of which and how many mobile apps users download on their phones; the second compares different types of apps in order to study the app ecology and the relationships between app and third-party service providers; and the third focuses on a particular app category and discusses the functional as well as the commercial incentives for permissions and third-party collaborations. Thereby, the article advances an interdisciplinary dialogue between critical data studies, political economy and app studies, and pushes an empirical and critical perspective on mobile communication, app ecologies and data economies.",
keywords = "Faculty of Humanities, infrastructure, apps, datafication, digital resignation, data economy, surveillance, Mobile apps, applications, political economy, digital infrastructures, critical data studies",
author = "Lai, {Signe Sophus} and Sofie Flensburg",
year = "2020",
month = jul,
day = "15",
doi = "10.1177/2053951720942543",
language = "English",
volume = "7",
pages = "1--20",
journal = "Big Data & Society",
issn = "2053-9517",
publisher = "SAGE Publications",
number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A proxy for privacy

T2 - Uncovering the surveillance ecology of mobile apps

AU - Lai, Signe Sophus

AU - Flensburg, Sofie

PY - 2020/7/15

Y1 - 2020/7/15

N2 - The article develops a methodological and empirical approach for gauging the ways Big Data can be collected and distributed through mobile apps. This approach focuses on the infrastructural components that condition the disclosure of smartphone users’ data – namely the permissions that apps request and the third-party corporations they work with. We explore the surveillance ecology of mobile apps and thereby the privacy implications of everyday smartphone use through three analytical perspectives: The first focuses on the ‘appscapes’ of individual smartphone users and investigates the consequences of which and how many mobile apps users download on their phones; the second compares different types of apps in order to study the app ecology and the relationships between app and third-party service providers; and the third focuses on a particular app category and discusses the functional as well as the commercial incentives for permissions and third-party collaborations. Thereby, the article advances an interdisciplinary dialogue between critical data studies, political economy and app studies, and pushes an empirical and critical perspective on mobile communication, app ecologies and data economies.

AB - The article develops a methodological and empirical approach for gauging the ways Big Data can be collected and distributed through mobile apps. This approach focuses on the infrastructural components that condition the disclosure of smartphone users’ data – namely the permissions that apps request and the third-party corporations they work with. We explore the surveillance ecology of mobile apps and thereby the privacy implications of everyday smartphone use through three analytical perspectives: The first focuses on the ‘appscapes’ of individual smartphone users and investigates the consequences of which and how many mobile apps users download on their phones; the second compares different types of apps in order to study the app ecology and the relationships between app and third-party service providers; and the third focuses on a particular app category and discusses the functional as well as the commercial incentives for permissions and third-party collaborations. Thereby, the article advances an interdisciplinary dialogue between critical data studies, political economy and app studies, and pushes an empirical and critical perspective on mobile communication, app ecologies and data economies.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - infrastructure

KW - apps

KW - datafication

KW - digital resignation

KW - data economy

KW - surveillance

KW - Mobile apps

KW - applications

KW - political economy

KW - digital infrastructures

KW - critical data studies

U2 - 10.1177/2053951720942543

DO - 10.1177/2053951720942543

M3 - Journal article

VL - 7

SP - 1

EP - 20

JO - Big Data & Society

JF - Big Data & Society

SN - 2053-9517

IS - 2

ER -

ID: 243338112