How consumers' privacy perceptions influenced mobile payment acceptance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose: Our research investigated how the perceived effectiveness of privacy, perceived privacy risk, and perceived security influenced consumers' behavioral intention to use mobile payment applications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: We applied a quantitative method using a cross-sectional online survey conducted over three years. We collected a sample of 1,471 survey responses focused on ages 18–39. Using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling, we tested our hypotheses with SPSS 27 and AMOS 27. Findings: Results of the study indicate that the perceived effectiveness of privacy positively influences perceived privacy risk, perceived security, and behavioral intention. Moreover, perceived privacy risk has a positive effect on perceived security. We found no significant relationship between perceived privacy risk and behavioral intention, although perceived security has a positive effect on behavioral intention. Further mediation analyses showed that perceived privacy risk and perceived security mediate the relationship between the perceived effectiveness of privacy and behavioral intention. Originality/value: This research sheds new light on the role of perceived privacy effectiveness in mobile payment adoption in Hungary, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our research also explains why and how perceived privacy effectiveness influences consumers' perceived privacy risk, perceived security, and behavioral intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]