How Website Owners Face Privacy Issues: Thematic Analysis of Responses from a Covert Notification Study Reveals Diverse Circumstances and Challenges

Many websites contain services from third parties. Misconfigurations of these can lead to missing compliance with legal obligations and privacy risks for website users. Previous research indicates that one cause such issues is awareness. However, reasons the awareness other prevalence are not widely researched; includes owners’ dealing those issues. To shed light on issue, we analyze 1043 responses owners a notification about issue their using thematic analysis, following an exploratory qualitative approach. Our analysis shows that, next unawareness incorrect technical implementation ambiguous responsibilities among Also, face different challenges, as lack knowledge or slow organizational coordination processes. In addition, our results show circumstances in which they operate influences how act what challenges face. illustrate differences owners, derive three personas analysis: (1) Ignorant Hobbyist, (2) Busy Self-Employed, (3) Informed Multi-Stakeholder. These cover majority aspects analyzed represent diversity backgrounds. Given backgrounds discuss prerequisites must be fulfilled remediate websites. Finally, present measures support remediating adapt needs owners. We hope better will also visitors.