Users' Information Privacy Concerns and Privacy Protection Behaviors in Social Networks

ABSTRACT

The immense popularity of social networks has overshadowed the potential concerns, especially related to information privacy. Despite huge debates among privacy experts in recent times, seminal works have explored information privacy concerns from the perspective of social network users. In response, this research aims to understand the impact of antecedents of users' information privacy concerns (UIPC) on privacy protection behavior (PPB) in social networks. Drawing from the Social Cognitive Theory and Protection Motivation Theory, the research model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The empirical results show that perceived vulnerability, perceived severity, and self-efficacy significantly influences UIPC. However, rewards and response efficacy did not significantly contribute towards UIPC. The linkage between UIPC and PPB was found to be statistically significant. This research article will offer newer insights for conceptual development and assist the social network's providers in redesigning their privacy protection strategies for safeguarding users from privacy threats.

KEYWORDS:

• Information privacy concerns
• privacy protection
• protection motivation theory
• social cognitive theory
• social networks