Understanding the Privacy Paradox through a Digital Literacy Framework : Focusing on Demographic Factors

Abstract

This study empirically verified the bidirectional impact relationship between digital literacy and privacy concern and examined the privacy paradox phenomenon in this relationship. For the empirical analysis, SEM analysis was performed using data from the Korea Media Panel Survey. Key findings indicate that digital skills and usage that consist of digital literacy had a significant effect on privacy concerns, and privacy concerns had a positive impact on digital literacy, confirming the privacy paradox. Finally, this research examined if the privacy paradox varied according to demographic characteristics, finding that the privacy paradox was more prominent for females, for the younger groups, and for less than high school graduates. The results call for an approach that takes into account the characteristics of each target group when establishing education and policies to strengthen digital literacy while reducing privacy risks.