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This article analyzes a possible privacy paradox in interactions between humans and service robots in the workplace. In two consecutive field experiments, we analyzed first the existence of a privacy paradox and second privacy concerns and information reluctance towards different service robots that offered advice on Human Resource Development topics. Drawing on the Computers-as-Social-Actors (CASA) paradigm and task-technology fit theory, we argue that employees' privacy concerns and information reluctance towards service robots do not match, leading to a privacy paradox. Task complexity strengthens the privacy paradox in human-robot interactions. Behavioral measures show that this is underpinned by a longer interaction time with service robots for more complex tasks. Our research bridges the gap between Human Resource Management and service robot research and provides valuable managerial insights into employees' privacy-related reactions to the use of humanoid and android robots in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the implications of WhatsApp usage in Israel, focusing on the interplay between usage patterns, privacy concerns, and protection behaviors. Using a sample of 505 participants, this study aimed to understand whether users are aware of privacy issues and how this awareness translates into proactive protection actions. Results showed a significant positive correlation between usage frequency and privacy concerns, but no significant correlation between usage frequency and protection behaviors. However, there was a strong positive correlation between privacy concerns and protection behaviors, with privacy concerns mediating the relationship between usage and protection behaviors. This study underscores the importance of understanding user behavior and privacy perceptions, providing insights for future research and policymaking to enhance privacy on digital platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe rapid transformation of the industrial sector requires strategies to integrate digitalization and monitoring. While these advancements promote data-driven optimization of manufacturing processes, they raise concerns regarding employee data privacy. This study shifts the focus from the prevalent technological perspective to the perspectives of employees, critically examining the factors influencing their willingness to share data. Employing a Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis with n = 132 participants, our research suggests a strong preference for exclusive control over access to personal data, particularly health-related information, indicating that privacy concerns typically eclipse the advantages offered by data sharing in the workplace. Using latent class analysis, we distinguish between two employee groups characterized by distinct privacy attitudes: “Data Protectors” and “Team Players.” These findings underline the need to further investigate the influence of employee diversity, including demographics, attitudes, and job functions, to effectively optimize communication strategies and address diverse privacy expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In OKCs, knowledge sharing is the main activity of users. However, the process of sharing knowledge inevitably discloses privacy. Understanding users’ privacy-disclosure behavior in OKCs is crucial for community development. In order to expose the phenomenon of privacy-disclosure behavior and privacy paradox in OKC, this study employs an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to explore the relationships among users’ privacy literacy (PL), the privacy paradox, and privacy-disclosure intentions in OKCs. We developed a research model based on privacy calculus and protective motivation theory, testing it among 442 long-term OKC users. Additionally, semi-structured interviews with 25 users provide qualitative insights. This paper indicates that many OKC users overestimate their PL, which influences their privacy-disclosure intentions and contributes to the privacy paradox. This implies that overestimating PL may be another reason for the privacy paradox. Furthermore, privacy attitudes and subjective norms emerge as significant factors shaping users’ decisions to disclose personal information, with peer perceptions playing a crucial role in users’ disclosure behaviors. This study contributes to the existing literature on privacy issues in OKCs by shedding light on the complexities surrounding users’ privacy behaviors. It offers practical recommendations for community managers and users to enhance privacy protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The privacy and anonymity of transactions are considered some of the biggest challenges when designing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). While many surveys show that people strongly prefer privacy in their transactions, behavioral theories suggest that human behaviour in digital spaces is more complex, a phenomenon known as the privacy paradox. The research aims to measure privacy preferences in specific situations and examine how these preferences influence choices between anonymous transactions versus the design of CBDC functionality. The study used the ANOVA method to determine if there were significant differences between groups based on privacy preferences. Survey data from respondents in emerging markets showed a mild form of the privacy paradox. The research measured privacy tendencies in three areas: general, digital, and financial environments, and found a statistically significant correlation between these measures. However, the respondents' privacy preferences did not consistently align with their choices between transaction anonymity and CBDC functionality, nor did they consistently relate to trust in central banks as privacy guarantors or the importance of central bank independence for ensuring privacy. The ANOVA test found no significant differences in privacy preferences between respondents who prioritized anonymity or functionality, or between those who trusted or did not trust central banks to guarantee privacy and their independence in doing so. This suggests that when faced with complex decisions, people may exhibit intricate patterns of preference, which is crucial for optimizing CBDC design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The privacy and anonymity of transactions are considered some of the biggest challenges when designing Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDC). While many surveys show that people strongly prefer privacy in their transactions, behavioral theories suggest that human behaviour in digital spaces is more complex, a phenomenon known as the privacy paradox. The research aims to measure privacy preferences in specific situations and examine how these preferences influence choices between anonymous transactions versus the design of CBDC functionality. The study used the ANOVA method to determine if there were significant differences between groups based on privacy preferences. Survey data from respondents in emerging markets showed a mild form of the privacy paradox. The research measured privacy tendencies in three areas: general, digital, and financial environments, and found a statistically significant correlation between these measures. However, the respondents' privacy preferences did not consistently align with their choices between transaction anonymity and CBDC functionality, nor did they consistently relate to trust in central banks as privacy guarantors or the importance of central bank independence for ensuring privacy. The ANOVA test found no significant differences in privacy preferences between respondents who prioritized anonymity or functionality, or between those who trusted or did not trust central banks to guarantee privacy and their independence in doing so. This suggests that when faced with complex decisions, people may exhibit intricate patterns of preference, which is crucial for optimizing CBDC design.

The so-called privacy paradox refers to individuals' desire for privacy, which is subordinated to their willingness to trade it for the benefits of consuming a product or service, leading to a paradoxical situation. Although multiple theories attempt to explain this phenomenon, there is a lack of studies that integrate, at the construct level, the different theoretical approaches used to understand the privacy paradox. This study proposes a comprehensive view based on a literature review of 34 studies involving 14 theories that support the investigation of the privacy paradox. The review integrates studies addressing (1) the theoretical foundations of the privacy paradox, (2) the factors influencing the privacy paradox, and (3) the behavioral consequences that lead to the privacy paradox. We present an integrated theoretical framework at the construct level, allowing researchers in this field to propose new models derived from combinations of different theoretical approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual decisions to protect privacy online are complex. Most research has treated privacy protection measures as a single, unitary category. This paper challenges this notion by looking at multiple categories of privacy protection behaviour. Our data are from the Oxford Internet Survey (OxIS) as well as insights from the semi-structured interviews. We find two types of privacy protective actions, which we call security actions and preventive actions. We use logistic regression, based on protection motivation theory, to investigate what leads people to take either type of action. The contribution of this research is three-fold. First, it shows that individual privacy protection cannot be treated as a single category. Second, it demonstrates that there are different motivations underlying different privacy protection actions. Finally, it proposes an expansion of protection motivation theory to include a contextual aspect based on Nissenbaum (2009, Privacy in context. Stanford University Press). This expansion considers the privacy context defined by actor, activity, values and norms. We suggest that future work on privacy should consider multiple categories and contextual settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas users claim to be concerned about privacy, often they do little to protect their privacy in their online actions. One prominent explanation for this privacy paradox is that, when an individual shares data, it is not just the individual's privacy that is compromised; the privacy of other individuals with correlated data is also compromised. This information leakage encourages oversharing of data and significantly impacts the incentives of individuals in online platforms. In this paper, we study the design of mechanisms for data acquisition in settings with information leakage and verifiable data. We design an incentive-compatible mechanism that optimizes the worst case trade-off between bias and variance of the estimation subject to a budget constraint, with which the worst case is over the unknown correlation between costs and data. Additionally, we characterize the structure of the optimal mechanism in closed form and study monotonicity and nonmonotonicity properties of the marketplace. Funding: This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 62202512 and 62271434], Shenzhen Science and Technology Program [Grant JCYJ20210324120011032], Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation [Grant 2021B1515120008], Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Crowd Intelligence Empowered Low-Carbon Energy Network [Grant ZDSYS20220606100601002], and the Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society. This work is also supported by the National Science Foundation [Grants CNS-2146814, CPS-2136197, CNS-2106403, and NGSDI-2105648]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/moor.2023.0022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents an in-depth study of blockchain technology's impact on data privacy and the consumer behaviour phenomenon known as the privacy paradox. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis, the study delves into the effectiveness of blockchain in safeguarding personal data in an increasingly digital world. Key databases such as Scopus and Web of Science provide rich academic contributions, particularly from regions with stringent data privacy laws. The findings highlight blockchain's effectiveness in limiting unauthorised data access, boosting user control and tackling the privacy paradox, where personal information is shared despite privacy worries. Yet, it points out challenges in aligning blockchain with legal frameworks, such as General Data Protection Regulation, particularly concerning data erasure rights. The study emphasises three themes: blockchain's progression toward robust data protection, psychological aspects of the privacy paradox in consumer decisions and attitudes toward blockchain solutions. It notes gaps in standardisation, public awareness and blockchain's practical applications, alongside ethical and policy issues. Conclusively, the research stresses the need for aligning technological advancements with legal and ethical frameworks, highlighting user experience in digital technology adoption. It positions blockchain as a pivotal factor in reshaping digital privacy, advocating for continued innovation and exploration in blockchain applications to ensure a secure, user-empowering future globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privacy/anonymity of digital transactions is an issue that potentially may affect demand for central bank digital currency. Does discussions about privacy paradox related to CBDC? In this paper, basing on the respondent’s survey, we construct indexes of privacy preferences (in general, in digital and financial environment) to identify relations between stated preferences in different contexts and between choice toward anonymity vs functionality of CBDC, trust to central bank as CBDC issuer and its independence as a precondition to guaranty anonymity of transactions. We find that generally respondents demonstrate consequence of preferences in terms of, what we call, general privacy, privacy in digital and financial environment. Distribution of obtained 3 indexes demonstrates some differences. Probit model also demonstrates that relation between choice toward anonymity over functionality of CBDC and level of 3 indexes is modest. Where is no correspondence between choice toward anonymity over functionality and trust in central bank and its independence. However, respondents demonstrate high level of trust in central bank ability to guaranty anonymity of transactions and view independence as supporting it even opting functionality over anonymity. We reach a conclusion that some weak form of privacy paradox is exist, central banks, promoting CBDC, should stress on functionality of it. However, privacy should not be ignored. It is better to have it as “nice bonus” to functionality of CBDC.

Problems related to privacy and security preservation are in the scope of the concerns of governments and policymakers because of their impact on fundamental rights. Users are called to act responsibly whenever they are potentially exposed to related risks, but governments and parliaments must be proactive in creating safer conditions and a more appropriate regulation to both guide users towards good practices and create a favoring environment which reduces exposure. In this paper, we propose a modeling framework to define and evaluate policies which identify and use appropriate levers to accomplish these tasks. We present a proof-of-concept which shows the viability of estimating in advance the effects of policies and policymakers' initiatives by means of Influence Nets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing concerns about privacy and an evolution in laws protecting users' rights, there remains a gap between how industries manage data and how users can express their preferences. This imbalance often favors industries, forcing users to repeatedly define their privacy preferences each time they access a new website. This process contributes to the privacy paradox. We propose a user support tool named the User Privacy Preference Management System (UPPMS) that eliminates the need for users to handle intricate banners or deceptive patterns. We have set up a process to guide even a non-expert user in creating a standardized personal privacy policy, which is automatically applied to every visited website by interacting with cookie banners. The process of generating actions to apply the user's policy leverages customized Large Language Models. Experiments demonstrate the feasibility of analyzing HTML code to understand and automatically interact with cookie banners, even implementing complex policies. Our proposal aims to address the privacy paradox related to cookie banners by reducing information overload and decision fatigue for users. It also simplifies user navigation by eliminating the need to repeatedly declare preferences in intricate cookie banners on every visited website, while protecting users from deceptive patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is a growing body of literature on information privacy suggesting different mechanisms of how people's privacy concerns might be impacting their attitudes and behaviour when using social media, recent questionable data use practices by social media platforms and third parties call for a renewed validation of existing information privacy models. The objective of this research is to re-examine the variables predicting why people disclose information on social media. Building on previous work, this paper puts forward a comprehensive Privacy Concerns and Social Media Use Model (PC-SMU) and evaluates it in a specific cultural and legal environment (social media users from a single county, Canada). The study delves into the privacy paradox and shows that the benefits of using social media are the main driver of self-disclosure, and that self-disclosing behaviours are nuanced by the users' information privacy protection strategies. We also find that higher levels of social media literacy, and concerns about organisational threats to a lesser extent, lead to higher levels of information privacy management, emphasizing the importance of educating users about how to use the different privacy and security features provided by social media platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on privacy-related behaviors and preferences often frames disclosure as strategic—the result of a weighing of costs and benefits and a pursuit of instrumental benefits rather than as a goal in and of itself. In the present article, we summarize evidence supporting the view that disclosure can exhibit drive-like qualities and that this "drive to disclose" can, at times, overwhelm the motive to maintain privacy. We discuss implications of this perspective, highlighting ways in which recognizing the existence of a drive to disclose can inform privacy research and policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy-oriented Abstract Data privacy is one of the most pressing issues today. The world is thirsty for novel, effective, and efficient policies to strike an appropriate balance between protecting individuals' privacy and creating economic value from their personal information. Whereas governmental efforts, such as the enaction of General Data Protection Regulation, California Consumer Privacy Act, and other privacy regulations, have been pushing boundaries to strike this balance, the effects of these types of initiatives on individuals' privacy awareness and behavior are uncertain, likely to be nuanced, and will take time to sort out. In this paper, we explain the privacy paradox, a phenomenon with important implications that apply to policymakers, industry professionals, and individuals. The privacy paradox refers to a mismatch between individuals' stated privacy concerns and their actual disclosure behaviors. In three behavioral experiments, we show how the paradox is revealed when individuals are cognitively tired especially when they are in a good mood. These findings do not indicate that individuals do not care about privacy because they do when they are not cognitively tired especially when they are in a bad mood. By explaining the privacy paradox, we inform existing and future privacy policies to strike that balance we all strive for. The confluence of digital transactions, growing cybersecurity threats, and the internet of the future (e.g., web 3.0 and the metaverse) have made information privacy increasingly important to consumers and companies that rely on consumers willingly sharing their personal information. Although information privacy has been of interest to researchers for decades and much has been learned, one thing that perplexes scholars is the privacy paradox, which we define as a mismatch between stated privacy concerns and actual disclosure behaviors. In this paper, we shed light on this phenomenon and show that low-effort information processing triggered by cognitive depletion (Experiment 1), positive mood (Experiment 2), or both (Experiment 3) significantly attenuates the association between stated privacy concerns and disclosure behaviors. These findings do not indicate that individuals do not care about privacy because we find consistent evidence in the three experiments for a significant negative association between stated privacy concerns and disclosure behaviors when individuals have sufficient cognitive capacity (Experiment 1), experience a negative (or neutral) mood (Experiment 2), or have sufficient cognitive capacity coupled with a negative mood state (Experiment 3). Our findings reveal that the paradox is neither an absolute phenomenon nor a myth, but its existence is conditional on contextual factors, including psychological factors related to information processing. We discuss our contribution to privacy theory and provide implications for consumers, companies, and policymakers. History: Alessandro Acquisti, Senior Editor; Idris Adjerid, Associate Editor. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.2022.1182. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. The article deals with the actual problem of changing attitudes towards privacy in connection with the development of modern information and communication technologies. The purpose of the study is to philosophically analyze the phenomenon of post-privacy, identify the causes and consequences of its occurrence using logical, hermeneutic and comparative methods. The novelty of the work lies in the conceptualization of the socio-philosophical phenomenon of post-privacy. Theoretical analysis. It is stated that due to the development of computer technologies, we have lost control over access to our personal information, since any action we perform in the Internet space leaves digital traces. It is argued that the payment of an individual for participation in modern society is to provide access to his personal data for state and commercial organizations. It is noted that knowledge about a person gives power over him, enabling to influence his thinking and behavior and exercise social control over him. Conclusion. Since we live in an era of new information openness, we should reconsider our attitude to the problem of privacy. As one of the ways of social interaction in the era of post-privacy, the individual refuses to claim complete control over information about himself.

This conceptual paper defines and gives examples of biometrics, explains how biometric tracking is currently used (e.g. to predict IQ), and presents innovative future uses of biometric tracking (e.g. to customize the price of products in real time). Specifically, this paper outlines a novel biometric pricing technology (BPT) which uses facial tracking to set the price of products using a new participatory dynamic pricing (vs. static pricing) system. Based on the privacy paradox, this paper addresses the acceptance, concerns and usage of a new emerging technology by consumers and its potential applications. To explore this, we develop a typology of perceived benefits and perceived privacy to predict consumer reactions to biometric technology. In addition, we present a research agenda to guide future research on biometric pricing technology. This research agenda offers new insights on how biometric tracking and specifically biometric price setting could be explored from multiple angles, including the consumer experience, technology acceptance, online profiling, governance, public policy, regulation, ethical and future usage-based perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on privacy calculus theory, we derive hypotheses on the role of perceived usefulness and privacy risks of artificial intelligence (AI) in public services. In a representative vignette experiment (n = 1,048), we asked citizens whether they would download a mobile app to interact in an AI-driven public service. Despite general concerns about privacy, we find that citizens are not susceptible to the amount of personal information they must share, nor to a more anthropomorphic interface. Our results confirm the privacy paradox, which we frame in the literature on the government's role to safeguard ethical principles, including citizens' privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voice assistants have become embedded in people’s private spaces and domestic lives where they gather enormous amounts of personal information which is why they evoke serious privacy concerns. The paper reports the findings from a mixed-method study with 65 digital natives, their attitudes to privacy and actual and intended behaviour in privacy-sensitive situations and contexts. It also presents their recommendations to governments or organisations with regard to protecting their data. The results show that the majority are concerned about privacy but are willing to disclose personal data if the benefits outweigh the risks. The prevailing attitude is one characterised by uncertainty about what happens with their data, powerlessness about controlling their use, mistrust in big tech companies and uneasiness about the lack of transparency. Few take steps to self-manage their privacy, but rely on the government to take measures at the political and regulatory level. The respondents, however, show scant awareness of existing or planned legislation such as the GDPR and the Digital Services Act, respectively. A few participants are anxious to defend the analogue world and limit digitalization in general which in their opinion only opens the gate to surveillance and misuse.

The value system of Poles in terms of the phenomenon of privacy on the Internet was analysed. The following aspects were taken into account: privacy on the Internet as a moral value, privacy on the Internet as a subject of legal regulations (current or future) and actual actions taken by users to protect privacy. The differentiation of Polish society in terms of the three above-mentioned areas was also examined. Results were obtained on the basis of a quantitative empirical study conducted on a representative sample (N=1001) of adult Poles. The method of computer assisted telephone interviews (CATI) was used. Descriptive statistics and selected inductive statistics were used in the analyses. Intra-group differentiation was investigated using a method called two-step cluster analysis. Poles have low technical competences in the field of Internet privacy protection. This value is appreciated; however, it rarely translates into active protection of ones own identity and information. A strong polarization of Poles attitudes towards the requirement to disclose their identity on the Internet was identified, as well as ensuring access to any user information by law enforcement agencies. Poles are willing to accept legal regulations preventing their profiling. We note a moderately strong negative attitude towards state institutions as a factor limiting privacy on the Internet and a significantly lower (but still negative) attitude towards Internet service providers. Poles differ in terms of attitudes towards privacy on the Internet (IT competences, age, education, gender, socioeconomic status and size of the place of residence).

The digital era introduces significant challenges for privacy protection, which grow constantly as technology advances. Privacy is a personal trait, and individuals may desire a different level of privacy, which is known as their "privacy concern". To achieve privacy, the individual has to act in the digital world, taking steps that define their "privacy behavior". It has been found that there is a gap between people's privacy concern and their privacy behavior, a phenomenon that is called the "privacy paradox". In this research, we investigated if the privacy paradox is domain-specific; in other words, does it vary for an individual when that person moves between different domains, for example, when using e-Health services vs. online social networks? A unique metric was developed to estimate the paradox in a way that enables comparisons, and an empirical study in which (n = 437) validated participants acted in eight domains. It was found that the domain does indeed affect the magnitude of the privacy paradox. This finding has a profound significance both for understanding the privacy paradox phenomenon and for the process of developing effective means to protect privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated that new mothers are among the most active users of Facebook. There has been only limited empirical investigation of parents' Facebook practices in the years following babyhood. This article examines patterns of Facebook use among parents of children aged between two and eight based on interviews and observations. In contrast to earlier phases of parenting, many users had adopted selective modes of engagement or were seeking to step back from the platform. Parents' accounts highlight the affective dimensions of their enactments of Facebook for information and support. Situated in the literature on connective and disconnective strategies on Facebook, I argue that the affective forces users experience in relation to Facebook extend beyond what we would traditionally think of as the boundaries of the Facebook user assemblage, with experiences of anxiety and judgment continuing after the choice to disconnect. Parents who remained active users had developed strategies to know with the technology, and to manage its affective forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People are faced with a variety of incentives to divulge personally identifiable information (PII) as online businesses aim to personalize consumer experiences. However, little is known about how people perceive the worth of their PII in relation to the benefits they receive. This brings to question the true worth of information specifically in terms of importance and value. Understanding how people perceive the worth of the PII allows online businesses to establish strategies to enhance the experiences offered to online consumers. In this study, we examine the question “what is the worth of PII?” by employing a survey instrument measuring perceptions across different groups of socioeconomic indicators: education, income, and age. Our findings suggest that the worth of PII is not equally perceived across all groups. More specifically, we find education to be a larger contributor to the perceived differences in information worth. We believe our findings can impact how researchers evaluate PII and how online businesses evaluate PII worth to improve the consumer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers increasingly protest invasions of privacy by digital applications and platforms, yet they habitually reveal more information than their disclosure intent. This paradoxical behavior has been explained using rational and irrational reasons (cognitive biases and heuristics), but they have been essentially conjectural. Thus, in this research, we empirically verify the existence of the privacy paradox and test four such reasons using quasi-experiments: privacy calculus as a rational explanation, information asymmetry as part of bounded rationality, bandwagon effect as a cognitive bias, and trust as a decision-making heuristic. A dummy app was developed to collect data from 594 mobile application users. The existence of the privacy paradox was tested using regression between privacy concern and actual disclosure. Following this, the reasons for the privacy paradox were tested using ANOVA. We concluded that privacy paradox exists in the defined sample, and the two reasons that explain the privacy paradox are information asymmetry and the peanut effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of privacy calculus in terms of the trade-offs between benefits and risks is believed to explain people's willingness to disclose private information online. However, the phenomenon of privacy paradox, referring to the preference-behavior inconsistency, misfits the risk–benefit analysis. The phenomenon of privacy paradox matters because it reflects an illusion of personal control over privacy choices. The anomaly of privacy paradox is perhaps attributed to cognitive heuristics and biases in making privacy decisions. We consider the stability-instability of privacy choices is better used to explain the underlying mechanisms of paradoxical relationship. A rebalanced trade-off, referring to the embeddedness of "bridging" and "bonding" social support in privacy calculus, is derived to develop the risk–benefit paradigms to explain the underlying mechanisms. In this study we address the underlying mechanisms of privacy choices in terms of self-disclosure and user resistance. To test the hypotheses (or mechanisms) of the research model, we developed the instrument by modifying previous scales. A general sample of 311 experienced Facebook users was collected via online questionnaire survey. From the empirical results, perceived benefits based on information support rather than emotion support can motivate self-disclosure willingness. In contrast, privacy risks rather than privacy concerns inhibit the willingness to disclose private information. The risk–benefit paradigms instead of the imbalanced trade-offs help to explain the instability of privacy choices where privacy calculus sticks with the stability view. Implications for the theory and practice of privacy choices are discussed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problems related to privacy and security preservation are in the scope of the concerns of governments and policymakers because of their impact on fundamental rights. Users are called to act responsibly whenever they are potentially exposed to related risks, but governments and parliaments must be proactive in creating safer conditions and a more appropriate regulation to both guide users towards good practices and create a favoring environment which reduces exposure. In this paper, we propose a modeling framework to define and evaluate policies which identify and use appropriate levers to accomplish these tasks. We present a proof-of-concept which shows the viability of estimating in advance the effects of policies and policymakers’ initiatives by means of Influence Nets.

The oft-cited privacy paradox is the perceived disconnect between individuals' stated privacy expectations, as captured in surveys, and consumer market behavior in going online: individuals purport to value privacy yet still disclose information to firms. The goal of this paper is to empirically examine the conceptualization of privacy postdisclosure assumed in the privacy paradox. Contrary to the privacy paradox, the results here suggest consumers retain strong privacy expectations even after disclosing information. Privacy violations are valued akin to security violations in creating distrust in firms and in consumer (un)willingness to engage with firms. This paper broadens the scope of corporate responsibility to suggest firms have a positive obligation to identify reasonable expectations of privacy of consumers. In addition, research perpetuating the privacy paradox, through the mistaken framing of disclosure as proof of anti-privacy behavior, gives license to firms to act contrary to the interests of consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The privacy paradox states that people's concerns about online privacy are unrelated to their online sharing of personal information. On the basis of a representative sample of the German population, which includes 1,403 respondents interviewed at three waves separated by 6 months, we investigate the privacy paradox from a longitudinal perspective. Using a cross-lagged panel model with random intercepts, we differentiate between-person relations from within-person effects. Results revealed that people who were more concerned about their online privacy than others also shared slightly less personal information and had substantially more negative attitudes toward information sharing (between-person level). People who were more concerned than usual also shared slightly less information than usual (within-person level). We found no long-term effects of privacy concerns on information sharing or attitudes 6 months later. The results provide further evidence against the privacy paradox, but more research is needed to better understand potential causal relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People use social media to achieve particular gratifications despite expressing concerns about the related privacy risks that may lead to negative consequences. This inconsistency between privacy concerns and actual behaviour has been referred to as the privacy paradox. Although several possible explanations for this phenomenon have been provided over the years, they each consider only some of the obstacles that stand in the way of informed and rational privacy decisions, and they usually assume a static situation, thus neglecting the changes taking place over time. To overcome these limitations, this article incorporates all the key privacy obstacles into a qualitative system dynamics model and examines the conditions under which the privacy paradox emerges over time in the context of social media. The results show that the privacy obstacles prevent adequately accounting for the negative consequences by (1) reinforcing gratifications, thus inducing social media adoption and use, while (2) hampering the realisation of (all) negative consequences, thus reducing the motivation for social media discard. Moreover, gratifications kick off early and often seem to dominate even major long-term negative consequences, thereby resulting in users becoming only gradually concerned about privacy, by which time they are usually deeply engaged in the platform to consider discarding, and therefore arriving in a paradoxical situation that seems not viable to escape from (i.e., the boiling frog syndrome). Conversely, major short-term negative consequences are more likely to conflict with gratifications already earlier, thereby resulting in users becoming less engaged, more concerned, and therefore still able to discard the platform, thus resolving the paradoxical situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The privacy paradox suggests that privacy concerns do not relate to privacy-related behavior. Although it has inspired numerous studies, findings remain inconclusive. Some of the inconsistencies in published findings may be explained by a strong heterogeneity in the conceptual and analytical choices that researchers implement when investigating the privacy paradox. Based on representative survey data of the 27 EU member states (2011: n = 8,962; 2015: n = 10,526; 2019: n = 11,428), I investigated the effect of conceptual and analytical decisions on 'finding' the privacy paradox. Specification curve analyses revealed that the magnitude and statistical significance of the relationship between privacy concerns and information disclosure is contingent on the operationalization of the independent variable, the inclusion of covariates, and the age of the studied population. The relationship between online privacy concerns and using social media privacy settings, in contrast, was less influenced by analytical decisions. Yet, the relationship was stronger in younger people and increased over time. The findings call for more transparency in analyzing research data. Evaluating the implications of analytical choices will help to establish best practices and advance cumulative knowledge creation in privacy research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing concerns about privacy and an evolution in laws protecting users’ rights, there remains a gap between how industries manage data and how users can express their preferences. This imbalance often favors industries, forcing users to repeatedly define their privacy preferences each time they access a new website. This process contributes to the privacy paradox. We propose a user support tool named the User Privacy Preference Management System (UPPMS) that eliminates the need for users to handle intricate banners or deceptive patterns. We have set up a process to guide even a non-expert user in creating a standardized personal privacy policy, which is automatically applied to every visited website by interacting with cookie banners. The process of generating actions to apply the user’s policy leverages customized Large Language Models. Experiments demonstrate the feasibility of analyzing HTML code to understand and automatically interact with cookie banners, even implementing complex policies. Our proposal aims to address the privacy paradox related to cookie banners by reducing information overload and decision fatigue for users. It also simplifies user navigation by eliminating the need to repeatedly declare preferences in intricate cookie banners on every visited website, while protecting users from deceptive patterns.

Despite being worried that children may compromise their privacy by disclosing too much personal data online, many parents paradoxically share pictures and information about their children themselves, a practice called sharenting. In this article we utilise data from the EU Kids Online survey to investigate this paradox. We examine both how individual characteristics such as demographics and digital skills, and relational factors, including parental mediation styles, concerns about children’s privacy, and communication between parents and children influence sharenting practices. Counter-intuitively, our findings show that parents with higher levels of digital skills are more likely to engage in sharenting. Furthermore, parents who actively mediate their children’s use of the internet and are more concerned about the privacy of their children, are also more likely to engage in sharenting. At the same time, and further emphasising the complexities of this relational practice, many parents do not ask for their children’s consent in advance of sharing information about them. Overall, parents seem to consider the social benefits of sharenting to outweigh the potential risks both for themselves and for their children. Given the paradoxical complexities of sharenting practices, we propose further research is required to distinguish between different kinds of sharenting and their potential implications for children and young people’s right to privacy.