Cookie banners and privacy settings attempt to give users a sense of control over how their personal data is collected and used, but background tracking of personal information often continues unnoticed. To explore how such invisible data collection might be made more perceptible, we present DataCrumb, a physical probe that reacts in real-time to data tracking with visual and auditory feedback. Using a research-through-design approach, we deployed the artifact in three households and studied participants' responses. Instead of providing details about what data was being tracked, the artifact introduced subtle disruptions that made background data flows harder to ignore. Participants described new forms of awareness, contradiction, and fatigue. Our findings show how sensory feedback can support reflection by drawing attention to tracking data flows that are usually hidden. We argue for designing systems that foster awareness and interpretation, especially when the users' control and understanding are limited.

翻译：Cookie横幅和隐私设置试图让用户对个人数据如何被收集和使用产生控制感，但个人信息的后台追踪往往在不知不觉中持续进行。为了探索如何使此类不可见的数据收集变得更具可感知性，我们提出了DataCrumb——一种能够通过视觉和听觉反馈对数据追踪做出实时反应的物理探针。通过设计研究的方法，我们将该装置部署于三个家庭中，并研究了参与者的反应。该装置并未提供关于具体追踪了哪些数据的详细信息，而是引入了微妙的干扰，使得后台数据流更难被忽视。参与者描述了新形式的意识、矛盾与疲劳感。我们的研究结果表明，感官反馈可以通过引起对通常被隐藏的追踪数据流的关注来支持反思。我们主张设计能够促进意识与解读的系统，尤其是在用户控制与理解能力有限的情况下。