SELECTION OF PRIVACY ENHANCED COMMUNICATION: AN EXTENSION OF THE UTAUT2 THEORY

In 2013, the capacity and capability of the world’s intelligence agencies to monitor communications was revealed, which has resulted in an increased awareness by consumers of the potential that private communications could be monitored on a grand scale. As a result of these disclosures, consumers are more sensitive to privacy related concerns, but there is limited extant literature and models focusing on the impact the perception of privacy has on consumer’s selection, acceptance, and use of technology. This paper proposes a theoretical extension of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2) to incorporate privacy as an individual factor influencing consumer acceptance and use of technology. The proposed UTAUT2+P theory incorporates the perception of privacy as an individual difference, along with age, gender and experience, which is hypothesized to moderate the effects of extant UTAUT2 constructs on behavioral intention and technology acceptance by consumers

Access Logs – Underestimated Privacy Risks

Access logs may offer service providers a lot of information about specific users. Depending on the type of the service offers, the operator is capable of obtaining the user’s IP, location, communication habits, device information and so on. In this paper, we analyze a sample instant messenger service that is operating for a certain period of time. In our sandbox, we gathered enough data to correlate user communication habits with their localization, and even contacts. We show how seriously metadata may impact the user’s privacy and make some recommendations about mitigating the quantity of data collected in connection with this type of services

Teachers’ End-User Attitudes Toward the Implementation of School-Based Social Networking Sites in K-8 Schools: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model

Advancement in technologies, such as smartphones and social networking sites (SNSs), are transforming traditional school-based communication in education. School-based SNSs are a web-based system that enables administrators and teachers to (1) create or join a semi-public online school community within a bounded system, (2) construct a virtual classroom with individual student profiles, or avatars, (3) invite parents and guardians to create a profile and link with their child’s profile, (4) and communicate with students, parents, and guardians about students’ school experiences using the classroom management and communication platform. ClassDojo, a school-based SNS, has over three million teachers and 35 million students using the platform (Williamson, 2017a). Teachers create and manage the virtual community; therefore, it is crucial to understand teachers’ end-user attitudes towards adopting school-based SNSs. An extension of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) examined K-8 teachers’ end-user attitudes to integrate school-based SNSs in United States’ primary and middle schools. The TAM’s foundation, extensions, and correlation to teachers’ attitudes towards technology presented as an ideal model to ground the study. Thus, using theoretical and empirical studies related to teachers’ adoption of technology and SNSs, this research study extended TAM using the following factors: (1) perceived usefulness (PU), (2) perceived ease of use (PEOU), (3) security awareness (SA), (4) subjective norm (SN), (5) attitude toward using SNSs (ATT), and (6) intention to use SNSs (ITU). TAM research traditionally relies on obtaining self-reported data from participants through survey. This survey-research collected data from 264 kindergarten to eighth-grade teachers throughout the United States. The survey data was used to analyze descriptive statistics between TAM variables, as well as perform path analyses on the relationships between the TAM variables. In this study, the TAM was extended to include subjective norm (SN) and security awareness (SA). In summary, a majority of K-8 teachers had a generally favorable attitude about ClassDojo’s: (1) perceived usefulness, (2) perceived ease of use, (3) security awareness, (4) subjective norm, (5) attitude towards use, and (6) intention to use. Path analysis with latent factors utilized multiple regressions to assess the direct and indirect influences of variables within a model (Hatcher, 2013). The extended TAM model was reliable and illustrated that seven out of the eight path analyses were statistically significant. Teachers’ attitudes towards ClassDojo use had the most statistically significant influence on teachers’ intentions to use ClassDojo. Similar to findings from traditional TAM studies, perceived usefulness had the largest statistically significant influence on teachers’ attitudes toward ClassDojo use. A thematic analysis of teachers’ comments about ClassDojo provided support for the extended TAM path analysis. In conclusion, this study synthesized other TAM variables to establish, the Teacher Technology Acceptance Model of Social Networking Sites (T-TAMS), to identify and explore factors that positively influenced K-8 teachers’ end-user attitudes towards school-based SNSs use. Lastly, limitations and future research were presented. This study advanced research on teachers’ TAM of SNSs, teachers’ end-user attitudes toward ClassDojo, and school-based communication. Thus, these findings can be used to boost ClassDojo’s adoption rates among K-8 schools in the United States

Setting the Future of Digital and Social Media Marketing Research: Perspectives and Research Propositions

in pressThe use of the internet and social media have changed consumer behavior and the ways in which companies conduct their business. Social and digital marketing offers significant opportunities to organizations through lower costs, improved brand awareness and increased sales. However, significant challenges exist from negative electronic word-of-mouth as well as intrusive and irritating online brand presence. This article brings together the collective insight from several leading experts on issues relating to digital and social media marketing. The experts' perspectives offer a detailed narrative on key aspects of this important topic as well as perspectives on more specific issues including artificial intelligence, augmented reality marketing, digital content management, mobile marketing and advertising, B2B marketing, electronic word of mouth and ethical issues therein. This research offers a significant and timely contribution to both researchers and practitioners in the form of challenges and opportunities where we highlight the limitations within the current research, outline the research gaps and develop the questions and propositions that can help advance knowledge within the domain of digital and social marketing.Peer reviewe

Digital Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents: Problematic Practices and Policy Interventions

Examines trends in digital marketing to youth that uses "immersive" techniques, social media, behavioral profiling, location targeting and mobile marketing, and neuroscience methods. Recommends principles for regulating inappropriate advertising to youth

Using Privacy Calculus Theory To Assess Users´ Acceptance Of Video Conferencing Apps During The Covid-19 Pandemic

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Information Systems and Technologies ManagementVideoconferencing (VC) applications (apps) are getting notable attention worldwide, from common citizens to professionals as an alternative to vis-à-vis communication specifically during COVID-19. The growth of VC apps is expected to rise even more in the future with the prediction that widespread adoption of remote work will continue to hold even after the pandemic. This research investigates the key drivers for individuals’ intentions into continuing to use this technology in professional settings. Considering the importance of professionals’ perceptions of privacy in professionals’ settings, this study proposes a conceptual model rooted in the theoretical foundations of privacy calculus theory, extended with the conceptualization of privacy concerns for mobile users (MUIPC), ubiquity, and theoretical underpinnings from social presence theory. The conceptual research model was empirically tested by using data collected from a survey of 487 actual users of videoconferencing apps across Europe. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is performed to test the model. The study revealed several findings (1) perceived value in using VC apps motivates the professionals to continue using VC apps and shapes their perception as they evaluate the risk-benefit trade-off they are making when using VC apps. (2) professionals’ indeed form and articulate their own assessment of value based on the perceived risks and benefits associated with using VC apps. However, professionals' perceptions of value are strongly influenced by potential benefits received from using VC apps than by potential risks associated with using VC apps. (3) professionals’ perceived risk is determined by MUIPC and trust. (4) professionals’ perceived benefits are shaped by ubiquity and social presence. For researchers, this study highlights the usefulness of integrating privacy calculus theory, social presence theory and trust in studying the individuals’ behavioral intentions towards new technologies. For practitioners, understanding the key determinants is pivotal to design and build mobile video-conferencing apps that achieve higher consumer acceptance and higher rates of continued usage of VC apps in professional settings

A Privacy Calculus Perspective

Sandhu, R. K., Vasconcelos-Gomes, J., Thomas, M. A., & Oliveira, T. (2023). Unfolding the Popularity of Video Conferencing Apps: A Privacy Calculus Perspective. International Journal Of Information Management, 68(February), 1-17. [102569]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102569. Funding: This work was supported by national funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) under the project - UIDB/04152/2020 - Centro de Investigação em Gestão de Informação (MagIC).Videoconferencing (VC) applications (apps) have surged in popularity as an alternative to face-to-face communications especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although VC apps offer myriad benefits, it has caught much media attention owing to concerns of privacy infringements. This study examines the key determinants of working professional’s intentions to use VC apps in the backdrop of this conflicting duality. A conceptual research model is proposed that is based on theoretical foundations of privacy calculus and extended with conceptualizations of mobile users’ information privacy concerns (MUIPC), trust, technicality, ubiquity, as well as theoretical underpinnings of social presence theory. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to empirically test the model using data collected from 487 working professionals. For researchers, the study offers insights on the extent to which social richness and technological capabilities afforded by the virtual environment serve as predictors of the continuance intentions of using VC apps. Researchers may also find the model applicable to other studies of surveillance-based technologies. For practitioners, key recommendations pivotal to the design and development mobile video-conferencing apps are presented to ensure higher acceptance and continued usage of VC apps in professional settings.preprintauthorsversionepub_ahead_of_prin