Framing Security Under Time Pressure: Brand Familiarity Matters for Mobile Application Choices

The current study examined the effects of security score framing, time pressure, and brand familiarity on mobile application choices. Past research has found the framing of safety versus risk scores affects how potential risks for mobile apps are communicated to users. Both time pressure and brand familiarity have been shown to affect consumers’ purchase behaviors but not yet for app-selection decisions. The current study examined the effects of time pressure and brand familiarity on the effectiveness of risk displays (framed as safety or risk) for mobile apps. Participants were shown screenshots of various apps with these factors manipulated, and they were to choose one out of six apps. Our findings indicate that users rely heavily on brand familiarity when choosing apps, which could lead to insecure decisions. Additionally, security scores guided app choices toward more secure apps when framed as safety than when framed as risk, although this advantage was only evident without time pressure and disappeared under time pressure. The design implications call for more careful screening and user education about the potential risks associated familiar apps, as well as the need of new security design solutions to help users under time pressure.