Textured agreements: Re-envisioning electronic consent

Abstract

Research indicates that less than 2% of the population reads license agreements during software installation. To address this problem, we developed textured agreements, visually redesigned agreements that employ information layering, vignettes, sensationalism, and visual variety to accentuate information and highlight its personal relevance. Notably, textured agreements accomplish these goals without requiring modification of the underlying text. A between-subjects experimental study with 84 subjects indicates these agreements can significantly increase reading times. In our study, subjects spent approximately 30 seconds longer on consent screens than the in control condition, where subject spent only seven seconds, on average. Furthermore, the study results indicate that the effects observed are not due to the novelty of the textured agreements' visual appearance alone, but rather, particular features of the designs. These results provide convincing evidence of the potential for textured agreements to positively impact software consent processes.