User Behavior on Online Social Networks and the Internet: A Protection Motivation Perspective

The advent of the Internet and the digital society has heralded concerns about potential for privacy loss. While past research has delved into aspects of individuals' privacy concerns, research on online social networks (such as Facebook) consistently shows that people disclose a vast amount of private information voluntarily and seemingly without reserve. In order to examine disclosure and protection behavior, this research draws on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and Social Exchange Theory (SET) to build a model examining these behaviors specifically in the Online Social Networks (OSN) setting. A survey was conducted which confirmed that vulnerability, severity, trust, and privacy disposition were all antecedents to perceived privacy risk in this context. In addition, this research also showed the mediating role played by PMT variables - benefits, risk, and efficacy - on both maladaptive behavior and protection behavior.;A second study triangulated these findings by manipulating threat and response efficacy in a 2 x 2 experimental design to further examine their role in maladaptive behavior and protection behavior. This study drew on the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM), an extension of PMT, and investigated whether fear about ID threat is a necessary condition for any response to occur (regardless of whether the response is maladaptive or adaptive). The results confirmed EPPM suppositions in that the group with the highest intention to protect itself was the group in the high threat high efficacy condition. Both threat and efficacy had a main effect on the dependent variables indicating that either threat or efficacy was a sufficient condition to initiate a response.;This research also conducted a third study to test the impact of better visual representation of privacy settings on an OSN. A color-coded wheel interface was designed to simultaneously display, not only user settings, but also recommended ('safe') settings. This research drew on Cognitive Fit (CF) theory and compared the new interface to the tabular interface currently used by Facebook. This experiment confirmed the basic tenets of CF theory and found that the wheel interface was more enjoyable and was superior in the comprehension of complex information.;This research bolsters privacy research by using an experimental design in conjunction with a survey to triangulate findings regarding protection behavior. It successfully applies Protection Motivation Theory in the IS context and manipulates the PMT variables in a way not previously accomplished in IS. It also explores the use of different interfaces for privacy settings on an OSN by designing and testing a superior interface for privacy settings.