Social Networking Information Disclosure and Continuance Intention: A Disconnect

Abstract

This paper tests a privacy calculus model for Facebook users. The model posits that both the costs and benefits related to privacy will influence users' information disclosure and their usage continuance intention. In a sample of business college students, we find that the privacy calculus model is not well-supported. Instead, two factors (privacy concern and information sensitivity) that are costs to controlling access to personal information predict information disclosure. Technology trusting beliefs also predict information disclosure, but in the opposite direction as that proposed. We also find that while enjoyment and perceived usefulness predict Facebook usage continuance intention, information sensitivity and privacy concern do not. Thus, the predictors of continuance intention are completely different from the predictors of information disclosure. This means users display a clear disconnect between their reasons to disclose on Facebook and their reasons to continue to use Facebook.