Social media privacy concerns and risk beliefs

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the link between users’ risk beliefs and social media privacy concerns (concerns users express regarding social media sites’ practices as to how they collect and use personal information). A Likert-type instrument with seven constructs, six of which described the social media privacy concerns and the seventh construct defined users’ risk beliefs, was used to collect data from students who were studying at a university in the southeastern United States. All students (N = 138) used Facebook as their major social networking site. Collected data were analyzed via multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that subjects’ risk beliefs are influenced by three social media privacy concerns (i.e., collection, error, and awareness). The Findings and their implications are discussed. Recommendations for future research are made.