Exploring the Relationship between Privacy Concerns and Social Media Use among College Students: A Communication Privacy Management Perspective

Abstract

This study examined college students’ privacy concerns and impacts on their Twitter usage behaviors. By employing an online questionnaire, this empirical research tested the predictive power of privacy management variables on Twitter usage among college students from a large public university in the United States. This research developed its research hypotheses from Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM). Regression analyses concluded that Control and Boundary Rules of Private Information on Twitter significantly predict daily minutes spent on Twitter accounts. However, the same CPM variables did not predict college students’ other Twitter usage behaviors (e.g., weekly inquiries and total months of using Twitter). The other two CPM variables, Permeability Rules and Linkage Rules of Private Information on Twitter, did not predict college students’ Twitter usage behaviors. Theoretical implications were discussed.

Keywords

College Students / Communication Privacy Management Theory (CPM) / Privacy / Online Questionnaire Survey / Regression Analysis / Social Media / Twitter / Usage Behaviors

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