Consumer Concerns of Personal Data and Privacy: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This article provides an overview of extant literature addressing consumer privacy in the digital context over the last decade. The number of cyber-attacks, data leakages, and invasive uses of technological devices has considerably increased in recent years, leading to an increase in consumers’ concerns about their personal information. The objective of the present research was to develop an analysis of the existing literature on consumer privacy, highlighting the state recent research dealing with consumers’ perceptions of threats and risks to their privacy in the digital context. The study developed a sensitivity continuum regarding types of personal consumer data, as well as data use concerns. The results revealed that some data was considered more sensitive than other data; that is, there was a perception of sensitivity and importance attributed by consumers to some data. This fact speaks to the concept of the privacy paradox, in which users voluntarily renounce their data in exchange for services, products, and benefits. Finally, managerial implications about information security, as well as the perceived meanings of privacy. Keywords: privacy; data privacy; consumer privacy; consumer perception; privacy concerns; literature review