Video Notice Design to Support Meaningful Consent Online

An Analysis of Social Media Videos about Artificial Intelligence and Privacy

Report Summary

This first AI in Focus report presents research findings about the utility of social media-style video as a supplement to text-based privacy notices.

A meaningful consent process online requires that a digital service provider communicate information about services to consumers. For example, information about data collection, algorithms, etc. should be conveyed to help people understand the risks and implications of service use. This study addresses how video notices can help digital service providers communicate this information to consumers.

This report includes information about four video notice prototypes (available at www.ainfocus.net) developed and focus group-tested. The report also includes five video design recommendations resulting from the focus group analysis. As the video content developed for this study addresses privacy issues raised by artificial intelligence (AI), the video prototypes and design recommendations should be relevant to organizations providing individuals with information (i.e. notice) about AI development or use.

This report includes information about four video notice prototypes developed and focus group-tested. The report also includes five video design recommendations resulting from the focus group analysis. As the video content developed for this study addresses privacy issues raised by artificial intelligence (AI), the video prototypes and design recommendations should be relevant to organizations providing individuals with information (i.e. notice) about AI development or use.

This research responds to the concern that few people read text-based privacy notices. Information protections based on notice-consent frameworks require that individuals are provided information about a service to review before deciding whether to provide consent. Helpful notice materials and associated oversight protections linked to meaningful consent processes are vital, especially for members of marginalized communities who are most likely to suffer AI-inequities.

To improve information protections, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, in its Guidelines for Obtaining Meaningful Consent, recommends service providers make notice and consent processes more creative and dynamic, while also considering consumer needs. This report’s findings suggest video notices can align with these recommendations.

In mid-late 2023, four social media-style video notice prototypes were developed. Each was designed to supplement a text-based privacy policy about AI. Each video was about one-minute or less, with vertical-orientation, live-action or animated, and designed in a popular format common to TikTok in particular, with accompanying background music.

Video One “How Our AI Works”
 A 60-second animation providing information about a digital service provider’s AI system used to assess a job candidate.

Video Two “University Application”
A 26-second live-action video conveying information about AI systems that assess applications for university entrance.

Video Three “AI Didn’t Pick Me”
A 52-second, Wes Anderson meme-inspired live-action video providing information about an AI system used to assess a job candidate.

Video Four “Data Retention”
 A 63-second animation conveying information about a digital service provider’s data retention policy and AI development.

In early 2024, 17 individuals participated in focus groups to discuss the videos. A qualitative thematic analysis organized five recommendations for creating video supplements to text-based privacy notices.