While Personal Data Stores (PDSs) aim to support personal data management and enable data portability across applications, user interest remains limited. This study explores the factors influencing user adoption and willingness to share data across four PDS use case scenarios—HR, Media, Finance, and Health—through an iterative research-through-design approach. The study combined a large-scale survey (n = 2,335), prototype development, expert reviews (n = 10), and user testing (n = 17). Findings reveal that although security concerns persist, participants responded positively to the PDS concept, particularly for use cases that reduce administrative burdens. Notably, users who engaged with the prototype reported higher intentions to use and greater willingness to share data than those evaluating written scenarios. These findings highlight the importance of tangible user experiences in shaping perceptions of PDSs. The study concludes with actionable recommendations and an illustrative prototype to inform effective user-centred PDS implementation.

This study explores users’ perceptions of integrating a personal data store to enhance personalized recommendations within a streaming service. Using a research-through-design approach and guided by Human Data Interaction principles (legibility, agency, and negotiability), we developed an enhanced streaming service prototype. This prototype was evaluated by experts (n=5), refined, and then used in two focus groups (n=19) to gauge participants’ reactions to the personal data store integration and their willingness to share different data types for enhanced personalized streaming recommendations. The focus groups revealed mixed reactions to the personal data store, with users weighing curiosity against concerns. However, many of the implemented data transparency and control features helped to mitigate these doubts. By linking our findings to existing literature, we developed a set of design recommendations to help businesses and guide future research in building personal data store applications, further advancing the field of Human Data Interaction.

Abstract The continuing decline of trust in the processing and fair use of personal data has been well documented. A web standard called Solid (SOcial LInked Data) is being developed to halt and mitigate the decline. It puts users in control of their data by enabling them to securely store their data in decentralized personal online data stores (pods). However, little is known about the impact of such pods. Therefore, we measured the effects of the use of a Solid pod on users’ perceived transparency, understanding, control and trust, as well as on usability and behavioural intention. We set up an experiment that compares the perceptions of users about how their data is being processed and stored on a cookies-enabled news recommendation website with a similar Solid-pod-enabled news recommendation website. Although our findings do not provide evidence that this has significantly impacted users’ trust, perceived usability, or intention to use the system, it has been found to significantly impact users’ perceived transparency and control.