A Typology-Based Approach to Tracing-App Adoption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the SwissCovid App

Authors

  • Sarah Geber
  • Thomas Friemel University of Zurich

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51685/jqd.2021.007

Keywords:

technology adoption, diffusion, privacy calculus, opinion leadership, digital contact tracing, COVID-19

Abstract

Contact tracing technology has been introduced in many countries as part of the COVID-19 containment strategy. However, research indicates that current adoption rates are too low for tracing apps to be effective. To address the complexity of app adoption, a typology-based approach is presented that differentiates between refusers who generally reject app adoption, ditherers who hesitate to adopt the app, adopters who have downloaded and activated the app, and de-adopters who had installed the app but later uninstalled it. A national online survey of N = 1,535 participants in Switzerland revealed significant differences among these groups of people regarding their perceptions about app-related benefits and costs, knowledge about data handling in technology, and app-related opinion leadership. The results indicate that communication strategies that aim to enhance the rate of app adoption should focus on ditherers and adopters; the former are the most promising target group for behavioral change efforts, and the latter seem to be the best means to reach out to this promising group.

Downloads

Published

2021-04-26

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Geber, S., & Friemel, T. (2021). A Typology-Based Approach to Tracing-App Adoption During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the SwissCovid App. Journal of Quantitative Description: Digital Media , 1. https://doi.org/10.51685/jqd.2021.007