Does displaying one's IP location influence users' privacy behavior on social media? Evidence from China's Weibo

Abstract

Internet protocol (IP) addresses are significant information that can reveal users' locations. However, users may not be aware of it since IP-related information is rarely displayed on social media around the globe. In March 2022, China unexpectedly implemented a regulation that compulsorily displays users' IP locations on a wide range of social media platforms such as Weibo. To explore how users perceive the new function and potential consequences of such policies, this study adopts a qualitative approach by applying privacy calculus theory to examine the factors that influence users’ privacy behavior in this context. The results suggest that users hold different privacy perceptions regarding IP location display. Moreover, the perceived costs for many users outweigh the benefits associated with IP location display, leading them to reduce their self-disclosure and prompting the adoption of privacy management strategies on Weibo.