Personal music management: Usage habits in streaming

In this exploratory study we examine personal information management within music streaming applications and the possible influence of streaming service use on musical information management. Also, we investigate the sense of ownership over songs being played on music streaming applications and whether the use of these services may be considered a social activity. In a later stage, we intend to test privacy related issues in music streaming applications and the factors that influence privacy concerns when using these services. This is examined by using a mixed methodology and consists of two phases: qualitative and quantitative: The qualitative stage includes semi-structured interviews with three music streaming application users in order to explore the possible change in personal information management, following the emergence of these applications (e.g. change in song retrieval process); The quantitative phase includes the distribution of closed ended questionnaires among 200-250 users of music streaming applications, aiming to explore personal information management issues and privacy related issues that emerge while using these applications (e.g. privacy concerns). Currently, only the qualitative phase is completed. We found that users still rely on traditional methods of personal information management, rather than making use of the newer features available by the innovative music streaming applications. The same applies to the use of these applications as part of a social activity. In addition, it seems that the emergence of music streaming applications has caused a change in the sense of ownership over songs in personal music libraries and made it ambiguous among music consumers