Ethical Self-Disclosing Voice User Interfaces for Delivery of News

Voice User Interfaces (VUIs) such as Alexa and Google Home that use human-like design cues are an increasingly popular means for accessing news. Self-disclosure in particular may be used to build relationships of trust with users who may reveal intimate details about themselves. This information can be (mis)used by algorithms to tailor and deliver partisan, critical news at the cost of journalistic ethics. In this position paper, we argue that self-disclosing VUIs may be beneficial to build trust with users and deliver news. We explain how a self-disclosing relationship may not only be a step towards human-like voice assistants but also aid in acceptance of, and exposure to different news events. We caution against obvious pitfalls from both a system and journalistic perspective and provide measures to address such concerns.