Mass surveillance to fight COVID-19: acceptance of surveillance technologies depends on goal-directed motivation

ABSTRACT Many governments use mass surveillance to fight COVID-19. Surveillance technologies can help in controlling the spread of the virus, but they may also raise privacy concerns among citizens. This research aims to explore the behavioural mechanisms underlying the acceptance of mass surveillance during COVID-19 and public health emergencies in the future. According to regulatory focus theory, goal-directed behaviour is regulated by two motivational systems – promotion and prevention. Promotion-focused individuals are motivated by growth and prefer to use eager strategies to achieve their goals. Prevention-focused individuals are motivated by safety and prefer to use vigilant strategies. Based on the theory, it is proposed that there is a relationship between regulatory focus and acceptance of mass surveillance. Study 1 tested this proposal with a questionnaire that measured chronic regulatory focus. Study 2 tested this proposal with an experimental priming technique. For both, chronic and experimentally manipulated regulatory focus, these studies showed that surveillance acceptance was associated with regulatory focus. In Study 1, surveillance acceptance was positively associated with prevention focus. Privacy concerns mediated this relationship. The higher the prevention focus, the lower were the concerns about privacy, and thus, the higher was the willingness to accept mass surveillance. Moreover, promotion focus moderated the relationship between privacy concerns and surveillance acceptance. The higher the concerns about privacy, the lower was the willingness to accept mass surveillance, and the higher the promotion focus, the stronger was the effect. Study 2 found that a situationally induced regulatory focus moderated the relationship between privacy concerns and surveillance acceptance. The higher the concerns over privacy, the lower was the willingness to accept mass surveillance, and the effect was stronger for an induced promotion (vs. prevention) focus. Models of surveillance acceptance are presented. Implications for public health and health communication are discussed.