Browsing by Author "Lu, Zhicong"

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    Understanding Chinese Internet Users' Perceptions of, and Online Platforms' Compliance with, the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL)
    Zhou, Morgana Mo; Qu, Zhiyan; Wan, Jinhan; Wen, Bo; Yao, Yaxing; Lu, Zhicong (ACM, 2024-04-23)
    The Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) was implemented in November 2021 to safeguard the personal information rights and interests of Internet users in China. However, the impact and existing shortcomings of the PIPL remain unclear, carrying significant implications for policymakers. This study examined privacy policies on 13 online platforms before and after the PIPL. Concurrently, it conducted semi-structured interviews with 30 Chinese Internet users to assess their perceptions of the PIPL. Users were also given tasks to identify non-compliance within the platforms, assessing their ability to address related privacy concerns effectively. The research revealed various instances of non-compliance in post-PIPL privacy policies, especially concerning inadequate risk assessments for sensitive data. Although users identified some non-compliant activities like app eavesdropping, issues related to individual consent proved challenging. Surprisingly, over half of the interviewees believed that the government could access their personal data without explicit consent. Our findings and implications can be valuable for lawmakers, online platforms, users, and future researchers seeking to enhance personal privacy practices both in China and globally.
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    Wrist-bound Guanxi, Jiazu, and Kuolie: Unpacking Chinese Adolescent Smartwatch-Mediated Socialization
    Liu, Lanjing; Zhang, Chao; Lu, Zhicong (ACM, 2024-05-11)
    Adolescent peer relationships, essential for their development, are increasingly mediated by digital technologies. As this trend continues, wearable devices, especially smartwatches tailored for adolescents, is reshaping their socialization. In China, smartwatches like XTC have gained wide popularity, introducing unique features such as “Bump-to-Connect” and exclusive social platforms. Nonetheless, how these devices infuence adolescents’ peer experience remains unknown. Addressing this, we interviewed 18 Chinese adolescents (age: 11—16), discovering a smartwatch-mediated social ecosystem. Our fndings highlight the ice-breaking role of smartwatches in friendship initiation and their use for secret messaging with local peers. Within the online smartwatch community, peer status is determined by likes and visibility, leading to diverse pursuit activities (i.e., chu guanxi, jiazu, kuolie) and negative social dynamics. We discuss the core afordances of smartwatches and Chinese cultural factors that infuence adolescent social behavior, and ofer implications for designing future wearables that responsibly and safely support adolescent socialization.