Activating consumer privacy concerns: the role of benign data threats and regulatory environments in shaping privacy protection responses

Purpose This study aims to integrate privacy literature with trait activation theory (TAT) to explore how different types of benign data threats – threats from retailers without access to an individual’s personal data – differentially affect consumer privacy concerns and protection responses. It also explains how regulatory environments amplify or mitigate these effects. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of 569 participants was conducted, with 284 from the US (sectoral regulatory environment) and 285 from the UK (omnibus regulatory environment). Structural equation modeling tested the hypotheses. Findings Privacy operates as hierarchical personality traits activated by situational features surrounding a data threat, influencing evaluative and behavioral privacy protection responses. Regulatory environments significantly shape these dynamics. Research limitations/implications This study extends privacy research by focusing on benign data threats and proposing a framework for understanding how privacy concerns function as surface-level personality traits that drive privacy protection responses. It also highlights the interaction of regulatory environments with task-specific features. Practical implications Retailers must recognize that even benign data threats can increase consumers’ privacy protection responses. Since privacy-related personality traits shape risk assessments, retailers should align data practices with relevant privacy concerns. Regulatory environments further amplify or dampen these concerns, underscoring the need for country-specific strategies. Originality/value This study integrates TAT to offer a novel framework that explains how privacy-related personality traits drive privacy protection behaviors, offering new insights on managing privacy concerns effectively.