Privacy concerns in social media use: A fear appeal intervention

Abstract

Privacy violations concern many social networking sites users. Here, we seek to understand how it might affect SNS use reduction. In Study 1, we untangle a mechanism through which this concern drives SNS use reduction. To do so, we leverage the stressor-strain-outcome framework (SSO) and examine whether privacy concerns can trigger fatigue, which in turn motivates intended SNS reduction. To extend this view, we theorize on how SNS addiction can moderate the abovementioned framework. This first study shows that privacy can indirectly lead to SNS use reduction and that addiction negatively impacts the adoption of healthy SNS use. In Study 2, we build on fear appeal theories to examine whether privacy fear appeals can drive actual SNS use reduction. It was demonstrated that privacy fear appeals effectively promote a limited and more controlled SNS use.