Logo: to the web site of Uppsala University

The Internet of Things (IoT) means that everyday devices have the possibility to be connected to the Internet and gather information without human involvement. This has many implications for increasing sustainability with the possible reduction of privacy. The purpose of this study was to elicit the preferences for sustainability and privacy features from potential consumers. We investigated whether these preferences could be affected by nudging and whether these preferences correlated with related values and worldview measured with rating scales. The sample was derived from an American context via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), with 302 responders. The survey was conducted as a discrete choice experiment (DCE). We used a logit model and a correlation study design. Results showed a preference for the sustainability feature, but no or negative preference the higher the privacy level. We saw effects of nudging between conditions, with preferences for sustainability being lowered. Lastly we found a correlation between values of privacy and thigh privacy choices. Further research should focus on elucidating the interplay between preferences, nudging and behaviour, with greater control over the quality of responses in the study.