Privacy or Transparency? Negotiated Smartphone Access as a Signifier of Trust in Romantic Relationships

TL;DR

This study investigates privacy versus transparency in shared smartphone access within romantic relationships using two large-scale surveys. By analyzing consent-based boundaries, trust, and the prevalence of mutual versus asymmetrical access, it shows that most couples negotiate access with reciprocity, yet boundary violations occur and can enable technology-facilitated abuse. The authors combine self-reported survey data with Norton's non-consensual access data and apply logistic-regression analyses to identify demographic patterns, revealing generational and gendered nuances in perceptions and practices. They conclude with concrete design recommendations for granular, boundary-aware access control (e.g., guest profiles, session-level authentication, and audit logging) to support negotiated boundaries while mitigating abuse, thereby informing both policy and practical OS/app development.

Abstract

In this work, we analyze two large-scale surveys to examine how individuals think about sharing smartphone access with romantic partners as a function of trust in relationships. We find that the majority of couples have access to each others' devices, but may have explicit or implicit boundaries on how this access is to be used. Investigating these boundaries and related social norms, we find that there is little consensus about the level of smartphone access (i.e., transparency), or lack thereof (i.e., privacy) that is desirable in romantic contexts. However, there is broad agreement that the level of access should be mutual and consensual. Most individuals understand trust to be the basis of their decisions about transparency and privacy. Furthermore, we find individuals have crossed these boundaries, violating their partners' privacy and betraying their trust. We examine how, when, why, and by whom these betrayals occur. We consider the ramifications of these boundary violations in the case of intimate partner violence. Finally, we provide recommendations for design changes to enable technological enforcement of boundaries currently enforced by trust, bringing access control in line with users' sharing preferences.