Those who control the code control the rules: How different perspectives of privacy are being written into the code of blockchain systems

2021 | Journal of Information Technology | Citations: 9

Authors: Renwick, Robin; Gleasure, Rob

Abstract: Blockchain systems afford new privacy capabilities. This threatens to create con ... Expand

Abstract: Blockchain systems afford new privacy capabilities. This threatens to create conflict, as different social groups involved in blockchain development often disagree on which capabilities specific systems should enact. This article adopts a boundary object perspective to make sense of disagreements between collaborating social worlds. We perform a case study of privacy attitudes among collaborating actors in Monero, a cryptocurrency community that emphasises privacy and decentralisation alongside a set of values sometimes described as anti-establishment, crypto-anarchist, and/or cypherpunk. The case study performs a series of interviews with users, developers, cryptographic researchers, corporate architects, and government regulators. Three novel and important findings emerge. The first is that none of the social worlds express a desire to monitor routine transactions, despite the obvious business and tax-collection value of such data. The second is that regulators are happy to postpone active involvement, based on the flawed assumption they can impose privacy-related regulation later, once risks have become clear. Such regulation may not be possible as protocols and rulesets currently being coded into the system may be impossible to amend in the future (unless they can obtain either developer or network consensus). The third is that regulators assume methods for overseeing extraordinary transaction are necessary to avoid widespread, near-effortless money laundering. Yet, each of the other social worlds is operating under the assumption that this trade-off has already been accepted. These findings demonstrate subtle power transitions and changes in privacy attitudes that have implications for research on blockchain, management, and boundary objects in general. Collapse

Topics: privacy blockchain cryptocurrency user attitude information privacy law

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding case study

Theories: boundary objects theory

Identifying Influence Mechanisms in Permissionless Blockchain Communities: The Bitcoin Case

2021 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Thapa, Rewat; Sharma, Pankajeshwara; Hüllmann, Joschka; Savarimuthu, Bastin Tony Roy

Abstract: Research on Bitcoin blockchain suggests that the inner-working of Bitcoin is no ... Expand

Abstract: Research on Bitcoin blockchain suggests that the inner-working of Bitcoin is not decentralized. Building on such findings from previous research, this paper identifies 'Bitcoin influencers' who are central to the operation of Bitcoin. These influencers are identified by performing social network analysis on the mailing list conversation during the implementation and activation of two Bitcoin blockchain rule changes i.e. 'Versionbits' and 'Segregated Witness', and implementation of one Bitcoin blockchain rule 'Taproot'. This paper further examines the activities of these Bitcoin influencers on a mailing list and IRC chat. Our findings suggest these Bitcoin influencers are steering the decisions to enact new rules for the Bitcoin blockchain. In order to do so, these influencers are using various tactics to seek support from other members and enact the Bitcoin blockchain rules. In this way, this paper argues Bitcoin influencers are guiding the operation of Bitcoin blockchain nodes, thus, governing the Bitcoin community. Collapse

Topics: Bitcoin blockchain podcast decision making electronic mail

Methods: qualitative content analysis network analysis social network analysis mixed method

An Ensemble of Ensembles Approach to Author Attribution for Internet Relay Chat Forensics

2020 | ACM Transactions on Management Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Shao, Sicong; Tunc, Cihan; Al-Shawi, Amany; Hariri, Salim

Abstract: With the advances in Internet technologies and services, social media has been g ... Expand

Abstract: With the advances in Internet technologies and services, social media has been gained extreme popularity, especially because these technologies provide potential anonymity, which in turn harbors hacker discussion forums, underground markets, dark web, and so on. Internet relay chat (IRC) is a real-time communication protocol actively used by cybercriminals for hacking, cracking, and carding. Hence, it is particularly urgent to identify the authors of threat messages and malicious activities in IRC. Unfortunately, author identification studies in IRC remain as an underexplored area. In this research, we perform novel IRC text feature extraction methods and propose the first author attribution version of the deep forest (DF) model that is an ensemble of ensembles that utilizes the fusion of ensemble learning techniques. Our approach is supported by autonomic IRC monitoring. Experiments show that our approach is highly effective for author attribution and attains high accuracy even when the number of candidates is large while training data is limited. Collapse

Topics: personality IT security social media data security anonymity

Methods: experiment support vector machine ensemble learning decision tree classification LightGBM

Theories: big five model

Decision-making Processes in Community-based Free/Libre Open Source Software-development Teams with Internal Governance: An Extension to Decision-making Theory

2020 | Communications of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Yeliz Eseryel, U.; Wie, Kangning; Crowston, Kevin

Abstract: Community-based free/libre open source software (FLOSS) teams with internal gove ... Expand

Abstract: Community-based free/libre open source software (FLOSS) teams with internal governance constitute an extreme example of distributed teams, prominent in software development. At the core of distributed team success lies team decision making and execution. However, in FLOSS teams, one might expect the lack of formal organizational structures to guide practices and reliance on asynchronous communication to make decision making problematic. Despite these challenges, many effective FLOSS teams exist. We lack research on how organizations make IS development decisions in general and on FLOSS decision-making models in particular. The decision-making literature on FLOSS teams has focused on the distribution of decision-making power. Therefore, it remains unclear which decision-making theories fit the FLOSS context best or whether we require novel decision-making models. We adopted a process-based perspective to analyze decision making in five community-based FLOSS teams. We identified five different decision-making processes, which indicates that FLOSS teams use multiple processes when making decisions. Decision-making behaviors remained stable across projects even though they required different types of knowledge. We help fill the literature gap about which FLOSS decision mechanisms one can explain using classical decision-making theories. Practically, community and company leaders can use knowledge of these decision processes to develop infrastructure that fits FLOSS decision-making processes. Collapse

Topics: decision making enterprise resource planning social media online chat organization structure

Methods: qualitative coding chi squared test longitudinal research longitudinal survey

Theories: contingency theory

“Computing” Requirements for Open Source Software: A Distributed Cognitive Approach

2018 | Journal of the Association for Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Xiao, Xuan; Lindberg, Aron; Hansen, Sean; Lyytinen, Kalle

Abstract: Most requirements engineering (RE) research has been conducted in the context of ... Expand

Abstract: Most requirements engineering (RE) research has been conducted in the context of structured and agile software development. Software, however, is increasingly developed in open source software (OSS) forms which have several unique characteristics. In this study, we approach OSS RE as a sociotechnical, distributed cognitive process where distributed actors “compute” requirements—i.e., transform requirements-related knowledge into forms that foster a shared understanding of what the software is going to do and how it can be implemented. Such computation takes place through social sharing of knowledge and the use of heterogeneous artifacts. To illustrate the value of this approach, we conduct a case study of a popular OSS project, Rubinius—a runtime environment for the Ruby programming language—and identify ways in which cognitive workload associated with RE becomes distributed socially, structurally, and temporally across actors and artifacts. We generalize our observations into an analytic framework of OSS RE, which delineates three stages of requirements computation: excavation, instantiation, and testing-in-the-wild. We show how the distributed, dynamic, and heterogeneous computational structure underlying OSS development builds an effective mechanism for managing requirements. Our study contributes to sorely needed theorizing of appropriate RE processes within highly distributed environments as it identifies and articulates several novel mechanisms that undergird cognitive processes associated with distributed forms of RE. Collapse

Topics: agile software development electronic mail blog open source systems development

Methods: qualitative interview archival research design artifact qualitative coding experiment

Theories: socio technical theory theory of distributed cognition

Battle over Media Choice: Multiplex Tensions in the Online Community of Wikipedia

2015 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Lanamäki, Arto; Iivari, Netta; Rajanen, Mikko; Hedberg, Henrik

Abstract: Media choice theories conceptualize decisions people make when they are faced wi ... Expand

Abstract: Media choice theories conceptualize decisions people make when they are faced with communication media alternatives to fit a communicative need. In this paper we address two gaps in extant research on media choice. First, we show that media choices may be intimately intertwined with the questions of power. The second contribution comes from situating an online community as the focus of media choice research – a novel combination. We conducted an interpretive case study on how power is intermingled with the choice of Internet Relay Chat (IRC) in the Finnish Wikipedia. We found that IRC was viewed in starkly different ways by different actors. Moreover, the IRC was largely associated with the notions of power. In particular, it was related to accession and ability to influence decisionmaking in the community. One party perceived IRC as a useful and open channel for quick-tempo collaborations and informal interactions, while others saw it as an arena for “the elite” to scheme against “the proletariat”. Overall, IRC was a source of “multiplex tensions”: conflicts originating from communication being dispersed into multiple media and from different perceptions towards a medium. The study provides several important implications for theory and practice. Collapse

Topics: Wikipedia online community social media internet relay chat communication service infrastructure

Methods: qualitative interview case study theory development personal interview

Influence And Dissemination Of Sentiments In Social Network Communication Patterns

2013 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Hillmann, Robert; Trier, Matthias

Abstract: Previous research suggests the existence of sentiments in online social networks ... Expand

Abstract: Previous research suggests the existence of sentiments in online social networks. In comparison to real life human interaction, in which sentiments have been shown to have an influence on human behaviour, it is not yet completely understood which mechanisms explain how sentiments influence users in online environments. We develop a theoretical framework that tries to bridge the gap between social influence theories that focus on offline interactions on one hand and online interaction in social networks on the other hand. We then test our hypothesis about the influence and dissemination of sentiments in a quantitative analysis that is based on retrieved textual messages of communication patterns in over 12000 online social networks. Our empirical results suggest a general influence of sentiments on node communication patterns that is evidenced by increased occurrences of subsequent messages that express the same sentiment polarization. We interpret these findings and suggest future research to advance our currently limited theories that assume perceived and generalized social influence to path-dependent social influence models that consider actual behaviour. Collapse

Topics: social network social influence social media internet relay chat online community

Methods: Student's t-test parametric test data modeling chi squared test statistical hypothesis test

Theories: social influence theory

'Computing' Requirements in Open Source Software Projects

2013 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 10

Authors: Xiao, Xuan; Lindberg, Aron; Hansen, Sean; Lyytinen, Kalle; Wang, Tienan

Abstract: Information technology addiction (IT addiction) is a growing threat to quality o ... Expand

Abstract: Information technology addiction (IT addiction) is a growing threat to quality of life and work performance. Online social networks, computer games and email are among the main culprits of such addiction. Surprisingly, the MIS literature has paid scant attention to this important area of research. A limitation of past research is a focus that is too narrow to study the overall dynamics of IT addiction. This proposed research aims to lay a foundation for understanding these dynamics by developing a measurement instrument using a multi-method approach. Based on theories of rewards and self-control, I will first define IT addiction and develop an initial questionnaire instrument to measure it. I will then conduct interviews, a questionnaire survey, and an experiment to refine and validate the scale. The results should pave the way for further academic inquiry into the nature of this ever-important construct. Collapse

Topics: systems development social media agile software development internet relay chat electronic mail

Methods: qualitative interview qualitative coding case study triangulation design artifact

Theories: theory of distributed cognition

Continued Participation in Online Innovation Communities: Does Community Response Matter Equally for Everyone?

2013 | Information Systems Research | Citations: 47

Authors: Zhang, Chen; Hahn, Jungpil; De, Prabuddha

Abstract: In this study, we focus on the factors that influence online innovation communit ... Expand

Abstract: In this study, we focus on the factors that influence online innovation community members' continued participation in the context of open source software development (OSSD) communities. Prior research on continued participation in online communities has primarily focused on social interactions among members and benefits obtained from these interactions. However, members of these communities often play different roles, which have been examined extensively, albeit in a separate stream of research. This study attempts to bridge these two streams of research by investigating the joint influence of community response and members' roles on continued participation. We categorize OSSD community members into users and modifiers and empirically examine the differential effects of community response across these roles. By analyzing a longitudinal data set of activities in the discussion forums of more than 300 OSSD projects, we not only confirm the positive influence of community response on members' continued participation but also find that community response is more influential in driving the continuance behavior of users than that of modifiers. In addition, this research highlights the importance of modifiers, a key subgroup of OSSD participants that has been largely overlooked by prior research. Collapse

Topics: innovation management switching cost open source online community internet relay chat

Methods: qualitative interview survival analysis qualitative content analysis personal interview archival research

THE USAGE OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY SETTINGS ON SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES - DRAWING DESIRED DIGITAL IMAGES OF ONESELF

2012 | European Conference On Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Deuker, André; Rosenkranz, Christoph; Albers, Andreas

Abstract: Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook have created a new way for indivi ... Expand

Abstract: Social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook have created a new way for individuals to share personal data and interact with each other on the Internet. The disclosure of this personal data is directly tied to the existing relationships of individuals within an SNS. Individual privacy settings allow a selective disclosure of personal data to specific connected individuals. In this paper, we present first empirical insights of a grounded theory study, based on 37 qualitative interviews with Facebook users, which reveal factors that drive, or generally influence, the use of these individual privacy settings on SNS. By investigating this privacy protection behaviour towards connected individuals, so-called ‘friends’ in Facebook’s terminology, we add new perspectives to existing theories of information privacy protection – individuals’ privacy protection behaviour in nonanonymous online environments. We have developed a conceptual model showing that the motivation to use individual privacy settings depends on a complex interplay between different factors. As important drivers, motives for using SNS, existing relationships and context of personal data disclosure have been identified. Building on those insights further allows development or improvement of general privacy controls for individuals interacting with each other on the Internet. Collapse

Topics: privacy Facebook data protection social network electronic health record

Methods: qualitative interview grounded theory conceptual modelling personal interview qualitative coding