Making the default more legitimate – the role of autonomy and transparency for digital privacy nudges

Purpose This paper examines the concept of digital privacy nudging, a promising approach from behavioral economics that uses subtle cues to influence people’s decisions online. We research the concepts of autonomy and transparency for privacy nudging in digital networking systems for the context of digital work. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on the literature on digital privacy nudging to develop and test a theoretical model that takes into account legitimate nudge designs, which are those that ensure autonomy and transparency. We utilize a fully randomized between-subjects online experiment with 208 participants to test the effects of different nudge designs on decision outcomes and perceptions. We use a structural equation modeling approach for evaluating the theoretical model. Findings The paper presents two major findings. First, we conceptualize the concept of legitimate nudging and implement the concept empirically with nudges that promote autonomy and transparency in the context of defaults as digital privacy nudges. Second, our findings show that autonomy-promoting nudges significantly lower reactance that is significantly associated with a lower acceptance of digital nudging. Finally, we provide evidence that the acceptance of digital nudging is also crucial for trusting digital systems where nudges are oftentimes embedded in. Research limitations/implications The paper contributes to the literature on digital nudging by providing insights into more legitimate nudge designs through providing autonomy and transparency. Our research provides in this regard implications for nudge effectiveness and the overall debate concerning ethics in digital nudging. We also offer practical implications for organizations and information systems designers who want to use nudges in a responsible way. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to empirically investigate the role of legitimacy in digital nudging and to propose a framework for designing and evaluating legitimate nudges. It also provides insights into the perceptional downstream consequences of legitimate nudging.