Priming Privacy: The Effect of Privacy News Consumption on Privacy Attitudes, Beliefs, and Knowledge

Prior content analyses have shown privacy news to be primarily negatively valenced. However, the effects of such news have gone unexplored. Using priming theory, this analysis examines the role of privacy news on trust in data institutions, privacy attitudes, and privacy literacy. Findings show that privacy news consumption is positively associated with privacy concern and literacy, which were negatively associated with trust in data institutions, fully mediating the effect of privacy news consumption on trust. These conclusions suggest a benefit of integrating privacy news consumption into relevant theories and models and have societal implications for consumption of privacy news.

Automated summary

With increased consumption of privacy news, individuals show higher levels of privacy concern and literacy, while trust in data institutions decreases. These findings have important implications for integrating privacy news consumption into relevant theories and models, as well as for the societal impact of privacy news consumption.