Are you hiding it?: usage habits of lifelogging camera wearers

Though still a rare sight, body-worn lifelogging cameras such as Mofily's YoCam or the Narrative Clip have become increasingly popular amongst tech-savvy audiences. In this paper, we investigate whether users of those devices prefer to wear them openly or in a concealed, less obtrusive manner. We discuss the camouflage of lifelogging cameras based on results from an online study (N=117), including the why (not) and how as well as qualitative insights on how social contexts influence usage habits. The results of our study provide empirical evidence that deliberate concealment can be perceived unethical, and that moderate noticeability is favoured. We furthermore found contrary effects of lifelogging cameras in interpersonal relationships, including self-censorship by the user, avoidance behaviour by her/his peers and conversation starting character of the device itself. We conclude by highlighting design challenges concerning ubiquitous, body-worn cameras.