The Influence Mechanism of Privacy Policies on Consumers' Willingness to Provide Information: Based on Moderating Effects of Information Sensitivity

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the signaling theory and CPM theory, this paper examines how the contents of online privacy policies influence the consumers' willingness to provide personal information and the moderating effects of information sensitivity through three between-subjects experimental designs. The results demonstrate that the notification clarity, permissiveness and protection degrees offered by privacy policies have significant impacts on consumers' perceived information control and perceived privacy risk. Information sensitivity moderates the correlations between permissiveness, protection degrees offered by a privacy policy and consumers' perceptions. The results also reveal that perceived information control has a significant positive influence on the willingness to provide personal information, and the willingness is also influenced by perceived privacy risk negatively.

Key words: online privacy policy, perceived information control, perceived privacy risk, information sensitivity

Liang Xiaodan, Li Yinghao, Liu Fang. The Influence Mechanism of Privacy Policies on Consumers' Willingness to Provide Information: Based on Moderating Effects of Information Sensitivity[J]. , 2018, 30(11): 97-107,151.

References

[1] Awad N. F., Krishnan M. S. The Personalization Privacy Paradox:An Empirical Evaluation of Information Transparency and the Willingness to Be Profiled Online for Personalization[J]. MIS Quarterly, 2006,30(1):13-28
[2] Spiekermann S., Acquisti A., Böhme R., et al. The Challenges of Personal Data Markets and Privacy[J]. Electronic Markets, 2015,25(2):161-167
[3] Belanger F., Crossler R. E. Privacy in the Digital Age:A Review of Information Privacy Research in Information Systems[J]. MIS Quarterly, 2011,35(4):1017-1042
[4] Caudill E. M., Murphy P. E. Consumer Online Privacy:Legal and Ethical Issues[J]. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 2013,19(1):7-19
[5] Baek Y. M., Kim E., Bae Y. My Privacy Is Okay, but Theirs Is Endangered:Why Comparative Optimism Matters in Online Privacy Concerns[J]. Computers in Human Behavior, 2014,31(2):48-56
[6] Capistrano E. P. S., Chen J. V. Information Privacy Policies:The Effects of Policy Characteristics and Online Experience[J]. Computer Standards & Interfaces, 2015,42:24-31
[7] Aljukhadar M., Ouellette S. S. D. Can the Media Richness of a Privacy Disclosure Enhance Outcome? A Multifaceted View of Trust in Rich Media Environments[J]. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 2010,14(4):103-126
[8] Jin G., Widjaja T., Buxmann P. Handle with Care:How Online Social Network Providers' Privacy Policies Impact Users' Information Sharing Behavior[J]. Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 2015,24(1):33-43
[9] Berendt B., Nther O., Spiekermann S. Privacy in E-Commerce:Stated Preferences vs. Actual Behavior[J]. Communications of the ACM, 2005,48(4):101-106
[10] Wu K. W., Huang S. Y., Yen D. C. et al. The Effect of Online Privacy Policy on Consumer Privacy Concern and Trust[J]. Computers in Human Behavior, 2012,28(3):889-897
[11] Ermakova T., Krasnova H., Fabian B. Exploring the Impact of Readability of Privacy Policies on Users' Trust[C]. The 24th European Conference on Information Systems, 2016
[12] Malhotra N. K., Kim S. S., Agarwal J. Internet Users' Information Privacy Concerns (IUIPC):The Construct, the Scale, and a Causal Model[J]. Information Systems Research, 2004,15(4):336-355
[13] Zhao L., Lu Y., Gupta S. Disclosure Intention of Location-Related Information in Location-Based Social Network Services[J]. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 2014,16(4):53-90
[14] Kim D. J., Steinfield C., Lai Y. J. Revisiting the Role of Web Assurance Seals in Business-to-Consumer Electronic Commerce[J]. Decision Support System, 2008,44(4):1000-1015
[15] 王宇,魏守华. 网络交易市场中第三方标记的有效性研究——基于信号传递理论的一个解释[J]. 管理评论, 2016,28(9):51-60
[16] Petronio S. Boundaries of Privacy:Dialectics of Disclosure[M]. New York:State University of New York Press, 2002
[17] Dinev T., Xu H., Smith J. H. et al. Information Privacy and Correlates:An Empirical Attempt to Bridge and Distinguish Privacy-Related Concepts[J]. European Journal of Information Systems, 2013,22(3):295-316
[18] Luzak J. A. Privacy Notice for Dummies? Towards European Guidelines on How to Give "Clear and Comprehensive Information" on the Cookies' Use in Order to Protect the Internet Users' Right to Online Privacy[J]. Journal of Consumer Policy, 2014,163(4):251-257
[19] Xu H., Teo. H. H., Tan B. C. Y., et al. The Role of Push-Pull Technology in Privacy Calculus:The Case of Location-Based Services[J]. Journal of Management Information Systems, 2010,26(3):135-174
[20] Stutzman F., Gross R., Acquisti A. Silent Listeners:The Evolution of Privacy and Disclosure on Facebook[J]. Journal of Privacy and Confidentiality, 2012,4(2):7-41
[21] Milne G. R., Culnan M. J. Strategies for Reducing Online Privacy Risks:Why Consumers Read (or Don't Read) Online Privacy Notices[J]. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 2004,18(3):15-29
[22] Nowak G. J., Phelps J. Direct Marketing and the Use of Individual-Level Consumer Information:Determining How and When "Privacy" Matters[J]. Journal of Direct Marketing, 1995,9(3):46-60
[23] Foxman E. R., Kilcoyne P. Information Technology, Marketing Practice, and Consumer Privacy:Ethical Issues[J]. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 1993,12(1):106-119
[24] Nowak G. J., Phelps J. Understanding Privacy Concerns. An Assessment of Consumers' Information-Related Knowledge and Beliefs[J]. Journal of Direct Marketing, 1992,6(4):28-39
[25] Li H., Sarathy R., Xu H. The Role of Affect and Cognition on Online Consumers' Decision to Disclose Personal Information to Unfamiliar Online Vendors[J]. Decision Support Systems, 2011,51(3):434-445
[26] Culnan M. J., Armstrong P. K. Information Privacy Concerns, Procedural Fairness, and Impersonal Trust:An Empirical Investigation[J]. Organization Science, 1999,10(1):104-115
[27] Dinev T., Hart P. Privacy Concerns and Levels of Information Exchange:An Empirical Investigation of Intended E-Services Use[J]. E-Service Journal, 2007,4(3):25-61
[28] Sheehan K. B., Hoy M. G. Dimensions of Privacy Concern Among Online Consumers[J]. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 2013,19(1):62-73
[29] Rohm A. J., Milne G. R. Just What the Doctor Ordered:The Role of Information Sensitivity and Trust in Reducing Medical Information Privacy Concern[J]. Journal of Business Research, 2004,57(9):1000-1011
[30] Wakefield R. The Influence of User Affect in Online Information Disclosure[J]. The Journal of Strategic Information Systems, 2013,22(2):157-174
[31] Phelps J., Nowak G., Ferrell E. Privacy Concerns and Consumer Willingness to Provide Personal Information[J]. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 2013,19(1):27-41
[32] Song J. H., Kim H. Y., Kim S., et al. Effects of Personalized E-mail Messages on Privacy Risk:Moderating Roles of Control and Intimacy[J]. Marketing Letters, 2016,27(1):1-13
[33] Chen K., Rea A. L. Protecting Personal Information Online:A Survey of User Privacy Concerns and Control Techniques[J]. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 2004,44(4):85-92
[34] Bartsch M., Dienlin T. Control Your Facebook:An Analysis of Online Privacy Literacy[J]. Computers in Human Behavior, 2016,56:147-154
[35] Brandimarte L., Acquisti A., Loewenstein G. Misplaced Confidences Privacy and the Control Paradox[J]. Social Psychological & Personality Science, 2013,4(3):340-347
[36] Dinev T., Hart P. An Extended Privacy Calculus Model for E-Commerce Transactions[J]. Information Systems Research, 2006,17(1):61-80
[37] Youn S. Teenagers' Perceptions of Online Privacy and Coping Behaviors:A Risk-Benefit Appraisal Approach[J]. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 2005,49(1):86-110
[38] Norberg P. A., Horne D. R., Horne D. A. et al. The Privacy Paradox:Personal Information Disclosure Intentions versus Behaviors[J]. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 2007,41(1):100-126
[39] Hajli N., Lin X. Exploring the Security of Information Sharing on Social Networking Sites:The Role of Perceived Control of Information[J]. Journal of Business Ethics, 2016,133(1):1-13
[40] United States Federal Trade Commission. Privacy Online:Fair Information Practices in the Electronic Marketplace:A Report to Congress[EB/OL]. http://www.ftc.gov/os/2000/05/index.htm#22., 2000
[41] Yang S., Wang K. The Influence of Information Sensitivity, Compensation on Privacy Concern and Behavioral Intention[J]. Advances in Information Systems, 2009,40(l):38-51
[42] 朱慧,刘洪伟,陈丽,等. 网络用户的信息隐私边界及其敏感度等级研究[J]. 广东工业大学学报, 2013,30(4):26-32
[43] 李睿,张锐剑,李文立,等. 移动互联网环境下的隐私泄露容忍度测度方法[J]. 管理评论, 2016,28(7):102-111
[44] 王洪伟,周曼,何绍义. 影响个人在线提供隐私信息意愿的实证研究[J]. 系统工程理论与实践, 2012,32(10):2186-2197