The Face-Off Between User Privacy and Information Exploitation in Online Social Networking

This research examines the extent to which and the path through which privacy concerns may trigger negative consequences in Social Networking Sites (SNS). Contradicting conventional wisdom that privacy concerns could severely impede the adoption and diffusion of online social networking, the results indicate that privacy concerns and risk beliefs do not directly impact individuals’ willingness to share information through SNS. However, privacy concerns and risk beliefs do impede individuals’ willingness to be profiled by SNS for personalized services and advertisement. Privacy concerns also positively impact risk beliefs and negatively impact trusting beliefs. Trusting beliefs positively influence individuals’ willingness to share information through SNS and willingness to be profiled by SNS for personalized services and advertisement.