Comparing factors affecting self-disclosure behavior between German and South Korean SNS users

Abstract

People disclose themselves on Social Networking Sites (SNSs) even though there are various risks such as privacy intrusion and cyberbullying. Through this comparative study, the influencing factors toward voluntarily sharing personal information on SNSs are identified and analyzed. A theoretically driven research model is developed and tested with German and South Korean participants. Based on an online survey (n = 266), a structural equation model (SEM) is empirically validated. The results indicate that there are similarities and differences. Two factors (perceived social benefit and perceived privacy risk) influence self-disclosure behavior in the both countries. Furthermore, three factors (collectivism, perceived cyberbullying risk, and perceived awareness of privacy issues) do not influence on self-disclosure behavior in both countries. However, the remaining six factors (protective experience, gossiping culture, perceived information benefit, perceived information control, perceived anonymity control, and concern of being intruded) influence self-disclosure behavior in one country but not in the other country. Extending the privacy calculus theory, this research provides a broad and unified model when studying on the privacy paradox.