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Navigating privacy and usability: A user-centric study of public WiFi networks
University of Skövde, School of Informatics.
2025 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (Two Years)), 10 credits / 15 HE creditsStudent thesis
Abstract [en]

Public Wi-Fi has become prevalent in many public spaces such as malls, airports, and cafes because it provides wireless internet access. While we enjoy using public Wi-Fi for its convenience, the process linking users to the Wi-Fi experience and the collection of personal information can raise usability and privacy issues. This study looks at how the design of public Wi-Fi login systems affects users’ willingness to give their personal details and what privacy worries they may have. The study was done through twenty interviews with people using public Wi-Fi in Dubai. Thematic analysis showed four main themes: reasons for using public Wi-Fi, why users choose to connect, how they experience the login process, and their views about privacy. The results show that most users value convenience and saving mobile data more than thinking about privacy. Many were willing to give personal information to get quick access and were not always aware of what hap-pens to their data. Some users faced problems with usability, such as slow one-time passwords or having to repeat the same steps when connecting, but this did not always make them more aware of privacy risks. The findings suggest that public Wi-Fi systems should be designed to be simple to use while also giving clear information about privacy, so users can make more informed choices.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025. , p. 37
Keywords [sv]
Public Wi-Fi, authentication, usability, factors, privacy, user experi-ence, user interaction, captive portals, cybersecurity, risks, hotspots
National Category
Information Systems, Social aspects
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:his:diva-25401OAI: oai:DiVA.org:his-25401DiVA, id: diva2:1978668
Subject / course
Informationsteknologi
Educational program
Privacy, Information and Cyber Security - Master's Programme 120 ECTS
Examiners
Available from: 2025-06-27 Created: 2025-06-27 Last updated: 2025-06-27Bibliographically approved

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Information Systems, Social aspects

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4344454647484946 of 197
CiteExportLink to record
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Citation style
  • apa
  • apa-cv
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
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More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
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