Teenagers' Perceptions of Online Privacy and Coping Behaviors: A Risk–Benefit Appraisal Approach

Applying Rogers's (1975, 1983) protection motivation theory to the online privacy context, this study determined that risk and benefit appraisals explain teenagers' willingness to provide information to a Web site, which, in turn, affected their risk-lowering behaviors. Survey data from 326 high school students revealed that a higher level of risk perception of information disclosure led to less willingness to provide information. In contrast, as teenagers perceived more benefits from information disclosure, they were more willing to provide information. Subsequently, as teenagers were less likely to give out their information, they tended to engage in several risk-reducing strategies such as falsifying information, providing incomplete information, or going to alternative Web sites that do not ask for personal information. Implications for public policies and self-regulations to protect teenagers' online privacy were discussed.