Informational Privacy

The ability of individuals to control information about themselves—determining what personal data is collected, who can access it, and how it is used. In assistive technology contexts, informational privacy concerns arise when systems monitor health behaviors, location, or activities to provide support. Users must often trade some privacy for the benefits of health monitoring, fall detection, or medication reminders. Research shows that people with disabilities are often willing to accept these trade-offs when benefits are clear, though acceptability varies by the type of information (toileting is most sensitive), recording method (sensors preferred over video), and who receives the data (healthcare providers trusted more than government or insurance companies).