Graduate Student
Petro

My research explores how people disclose and protect their health information online. In doing so, I hope to develop a greater understanding of the factors that shape online privacy decisions to generate solutions protecting at-risk groups.

Bio

I have worked on a variety of projects at the intersection of online privacy and health information. For my master’s thesis, I conducted an experiment demonstrating how receiving personalized online advertising related to health and fitness could impact one’s self-image and online privacy perceptions. I recently published another study examining how mental health professionals protect their clients’ privacy in telehealth settings. In a book chapter I co-authored on group privacy, we consider the privacy risks posed by identifying vulnerable groups online (e.g., those with certain health conditions) and the collective nature of online privacy management. I have also worked on projects studying digital inequities, which disproportionately affect members of traditionally marginalized groups. I have conducted research examining the impact of disparate access to digital technology on a variety of quality-of-life-related outcomes (e.g., college students’ GPAs, stress, and coping ability). My research has begun to focus on privacy issues surrounding reproductive health information. I recently conducted interviews to understand how young women navigate finding abortion information online and their beliefs about privacy risks and privacy protection strategies. For my dissertation, I am designing an online privacy literacy intervention and testing whether it motivates people to protect their reproductive health information.

Education

M.A. (2021), UC Santa Barbara, Communication
B.A. (2016), Cornell University, Human Development (Communication minor)