iDisclose: Applications of privacy management theory to children, adolescents and emerging adults

Abstract

Protecting personal information in online environments is vital to most individuals, including those in the three distinct age groups of children, adolescents and emerging adults. As each group interacts online, they use different disclosure practices and protection mechanisms to manage and distribute their personal information. After describing self-disclosure and communication privacy management theory (CPM), this chapter examines how privacy management strategies and self-disclosure practices in online environments differ between children, adolescents and emerging adults. The chapter considers theoretical strengths and weaknesses of CPM and also explores the applicability of the tenets of CPM to online communication in self-disclosure. In concluding, the text argues that a greater understanding of the privacy protection mechanisms employed by children, adolescents and emerging adults will help to strengthen privacy regulation and protection of personal information for each of these specific groups. Implications for media literacy, privacy protection practices, online marketing and advertising are presented.