Impact of values on parents' willingness to collect and share children's mobile-sensing data

Mobile sensors provide a new opportunity to measure and intervene in child development. The present study seeks to determine the conditions for parental participation in mobile sensor studies and applications. A survey was administered to parents (n=210) of a child under the age of five. Results indicate that parents are significantly more willing to collect information on physical activity/vitals and location type (82 and 78% respectively indicated they were at least somewhat willing; ≥SW) compared to home presence and social media data (61 and 73% ≥SW). Parents are least willing to collect continuous audio and video data (49% and 54% ≥SW). They are slightly but significantly more willing to collect audio snippets or features (59 and 61% ≥SW). They are most willing to collect highly-sensitive data if it stays within their household (78% ≥SW), however, they are significantly more willing to share with researchers (71% ≥SW) than with tech companies (62% ≥SW). Parents are more willing to share their children's data if it could provide feedback on their parenting style or allergens (88 and 86% were at least somewhat more willing). Parents who have strong values of hedonism, benevolence, tradition, self-direction and power will be more willing and likely to participate in a mobile-sensing study than parents who have strong values of stimulation, achievement, conformity, security, and universalism. A recruitment message that is derived from the security value type will be most effective. These results advise designers and developers of mobile-sensing applications to be more mindful of the types of data that are most sensitive. The results also provide guidelines to researchers on how to effectively market their research and increase participation.