Shall I Tell You Where I Live and Who I Am? Factors Influencing the Behavioral Intention to Disclose Personal Data for Online Government Transactions

Abstract

The success of an online transaction with a government organization depends on citizen's willingness to share personal data relevant for the transaction. However, disclosing personal data online is oftentimes considered risky. It has been substantiated in a number of empirical studies that perceptions of the risks involved in sharing personal data in the virtual environment could hinder Internet users from engaging in online transactions that require the disclosure of personal data. Results of a large-scale online survey with 2,202 Dutch Internet users reveal that trust in government organizations is a very important determinant of personal data disclosure intention among users with and without e-government experience. Low perceptions of risks, high expectations of the benefits of e-government services, and strong beliefs in the adequacy of legal protection mechanisms could also positively influence users' intention to share personal data for e-government services. The negative relation between trust and risk perceptions is also established, as citizens' trust in government organizations could reduce perceptions of the risks involved in disclosing personal data online.