Information privacy in online social networks: Uses and gratification perspective

Abstract

This research investigates privacy attitudes and behaviors in online social networks (OSN). For this purpose, two separate studies were conducted. Study 1 employed the theory of uses and gratifications to identify the motives for using OSN. Surveying 918 OSN users and employing the content analysis method, the predominant motives for using OSN were identified as: 1-relationship maintenance; 2-entertainment; 3-relationship building; and 4-information seeking. Study 2, inspired by the framework of Smith, Dinev, & Xu’s (2011), investigates both the antecedents to and outcomes of privacy concerns. Survey data were collected from 521 OSN users. The results of regression analysis suggested that the motives for OSN use do not serve as antecedents of privacy concerns. Minimal impact of the motives on privacy concerns indicated that the degree of users’ concerns for privacy is not related to the reasons why people use OSN. The findings also showed that privacy concerns did not inhibit self-disclosure, whereas the motives fostered it. No dichotomy was observed between privacy concerns and the use of privacy protective measures. Overall, the findings regarding the outcomes of privacy concerns indicated that privacy concerns align with privacy behaviors; therefore a privacy paradox or inconsistency between privacy attitudes and behavior was not supported.