SNS use reduction: a two-facet privacy concern perspective

While social networking sites (SNS) have many positive aspects, they can have several adverse outcomes, among which privacy violations are a vital concern. The authors first posit that concerns regarding privacy violations can drive attempts to reduce SNS use. Next, the authors note that these violations can have two sources: peers and the social media provider. Thus, there is a need to understand how this complex system of privacy concerns affects use reduction decisions. To do so, this paper aims to examine the separate and joint roles of institutional and peer privacy concerns in driving SNS use reduction.

Based on privacy calculus theory, the authors propose a theoretical model to explain SNS use reduction, with institutional and peer privacy concerns as independent variables. The authors empirically examine the research model using a sample of 258 SNS users.

This study reveals that institutional and peer privacy concerns independently increase one's intention to reduce SNS use and that institutional privacy concern strengthen the relation between peer privacy concern and the intention to reduce SNS use.

Research thus far has not examined how the two facets of privacy work in tandem to affect 'users' decisions to change their behaviors on SNS platforms. Considering the unique and joint effect of these facets can thus provide a more precise and realistic perspective. This paper informs theories and models of privacy and online user behavior change.