Background
The Me2B Alliance develops safety specifications for connected technology. It is comprised of software engineers, policy analysts, UX experts, business and philanthropic leaders who are committed to giving individuals more say in how technology treats people. We are setting up a rigorous independent testing and certification program for websites, apps and connected devices. The Me2B Alliance is comprised of working groups for Me-s (the consumer), B-s (the business) as well as the Policy and Legal and Certification working groups. Together, we are setting the standard for Respectful Technology.
“Me2B” is a term of art in the data privacy community and is not a trademarked word. It is a play on the term B2C, where the needs of the individual—the “Me”—come first.
My Role
My role at the Me2B Alliance was twofold: I led the Validation Research practice to provide user experience and other research services to the various working groups, exploring questions around the consumer experience of their relationship with digital technology.
Secondly, I developed the product integrity testing framework (UX audit) for digital technologies, in particular mobile apps and websites. This framework, coupled with data integrity and security testing, makes up the requirements for a proposed “Me2BA Safe” certification.
I managed two junior researchers in the development of the specification and in report production for the Spotlight reports. I collaborated with data privacy experts on working groups and interviewed donors and SMEs, and advised on website redesign and persona development.
User Research Methods
Qualitative Research
I engaged consumers in one on one conversations about their relationship with technologies they use in their day to day lives. Research questions ranged from their understanding of privacy policies, terms of use agreements and other agreements they make implicitly by using a technology. for example, do users change how they interact with a website when they are familiar with the legal terms of the website? And would a score make a difference?
Preference Testing
I performed a series of tests of the certification mark to be used as a symbol of trust in connected digital technologies. This included interviews, focus groups, unmoderated 5-Second preference tests and surveys.
Interviews
I conducted interviews of subject matter experts, donors, policy experts, and prospective Me2B Alliance members to develop personas for the redesign of the me2balliance.org website. Additional interviews with general technology consumers explored their relationship with technology generally, their reactions to Me2B concepts and proposed website iconography, and their understanding of legal policies governing website and mobile app use.
I interviewed subject matter experts to understand their reaction to a proposed implementation of the IEEE P7012 standard for machine-readable personal privacy agreements. This research was conducted with a grant from the IEEE and published as a Spotlight report.
Focus Groups
I conducted two focus groups of general technology consumers comprising six sessions over a period of three months in 2021. Discussion topic included their relationship with technology, the design and naming of our research reports and guides, and the proposed specifications for safe internet technology. The research helped to evolve our understanding of how consumers experience their relationship and risks with respect to digital technologies. These insights were applied to the development of the Me2B Safe Technology Specification.
Information Architecture Methods
Product Integrity Testing
I developed a UX Integrity framework for the Me2B Safe and Respectful Technology Framework (now published as the Me2B Safe Specification). This framework was based on an applicaiton of IA heuristics to ensure that notices of data collection, use and sharing is Clear, Findable, Accessible, Credible and Communicative or understandable by a wide audience of human and machine readible or accessible devices.
Tools
Interviews and Focus Groups: Zoom, UserInterviews.com, SurveyMonkey
Preference Tests and 5 Second tests: UserInterviews.com, SurveyMonkey
Collaboration: Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Microsoft365, Trello, Monday
Artifacts
Spotlight Report #6: Proffering Machine-Readable Personal Privacy Research Agreements: Pilot Project Findings for IEEE P7012 WG. (June 2, 2022). Me2B Alliance.
Statement on Dark Patterns at the California Privacy Protection Agency Stakeholders Meeting. (May 5, 2022). Me2B Alliance.
Spotlight Report #5: Me2B Alliance Validation Testing Report: Consumer Perception of Legal Policies in Digital Technology. (January 18, 2022). Me2B Alliance.
Spotlight Report #3: Me2B Alliance Validation Research: Consumer Sensitivity to Location Tracking by Websites and Mobile Apps. (November 5, 2021). Me2B Alliance.
Me2B Safe Specification v1.0. (April 29, 2020). Me2B Alliance.
Presentations
Safe Tech Audit: IA as a Framework for Respectful Design (April 23, 2022)
Conference Presentation: Information Architecture Conference.
The Future of the Metaverse with Vint Cerf and Noreen Whysel. (April 12, 2022). Disruptive Technologists.
Shedding Light on Dark Patterns: A Case Study on Digital Harms. (April 28, 2021)
Conference Presentation: Information Architecture Conference.
Webinar: Me2B Research: Consumer Views on Respectful Technology. Me2B Alliance.
Future Plans
In July 2022, the Me2B Alliance changed its name to Internet Safety Labs. “We’ve changed our name, not our mission.” Visit at https://www.internetsafetylabs.org.