"Because Microchips are the Future:" Investigating End Users' Information Needs Regarding Microchips

Abstract

Microchips are fundamental components of modern electronic devices, yet they remain largely opaque to the users who rely on them daily. This opacity, compounded by the complexity of global supply chains and the concealment of proprietary information, raises significant security, trust, and accountability concerns. Against this background, we investigate end users' information needs regarding these technologies. Through an online survey with 250 participants, we identified key factors shaping user information needs, including application criticality and technology affinity. Our findings reveal misalignments between policy initiatives and user preferences, providing a foundation for designing user-centered transparency mechanisms.