Modeling the hidden mediating relationships between SNS privacy and SNS impression construction

Abstract

This research develops and tests a social networking site (SNS) responsible impression management (SNS-RIM) model to investigate the impact of social networking site impression management (IM) on users' continued SNS engagement, thereby contributing to information systems research. To collect data, the authors administered a customized survey instrument over three weeks and gathered 456 responses. A total of fifty-seven incomplete responses were removed, resulting in 399 useable responses, with which to calibrate and test the model. The model increases understanding of SNS-RIM patterns which are strategies for protecting privacy. Findings indicate that users desire both privacy and an active social media presence, and there is a tradeoff between having an overall active social media presence and protecting personal information privacy. This study determines that SNS impression management, SNS stalking awareness, and technological SNS privacy controls are good predictors of online SNS behaviors. The methodology employs factor analysis and PLS/SEM to test and confirm that the SNS-RIM model creates responsible impressions in SNS environments. This research increases model complexity over previous work, mediating behavioral relationships posited in this study. It demonstrates the complexity of social networking behavior and IM theory's appropriateness to explain dynamic changing social structures, complementing existing SNS research, and how social capital influences IM.