Understanding Online Privacy Protection Behavior of the Older Adults: An Empirical Investigation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2018

Publication Title

Journal of Information Technology Management

Abstract

Study of digital privacy concerns and behavior of older adults is still in nascent stages. This empirical study investigates the antecedents of privacy concerns and the privacy protection behavior of the older adults, and the moderating effect of the potential benefits of digital interactions on their online privacy protection behavior. Our research model is drawn from the Theory of Reasoned Action. Data was collected from 214 older adults and analyzed using PLS structural modeling. The results suggest that the older adults’ privacy concerns of engaging in online interactions are significantly affected by the extent of their prior digital usage experience and prior exposure to vulnerabilities related to online fraud. Privacy protection behavior is significantly affected by the privacy concerns. Additionally, our model explores the potential benefits of online use as an antecedent of privacy protection behavior. Potential benefits significantly moderate the effect of privacy concerns on the privacy protection behavior of the older adults. This study contributes to the body of online privacy research and to the study of the digital behavior of the older adults by providing a richer understanding of their privacy protection behavior. The study also provides recommendations to address older adults’ fears and vulnerabilities.

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