Privacy paradox for location tracking in mobile social networking apps: The perspectives of behavioral reasoning and regulatory focus

Social networking services (SNSs) have been collecting and analyzing users' personal data for the sake of personalization and customization, raising massive privacy concerns. Among the various types of privacy, per-sonal location data are considered most sensitive, but are critical for the location-based features in mobile SNS applications. Drawing on behavioral reasoning theory and accounting for the privacy paradox, this study in-vestigates the heterogeneous psychological mechanisms supporting and discouraging mobile SNS users from enabling location tracking in SNS applications. Based on a survey of young internet users in China, our analysis shows that, first, reasons for location tracking are insignificantly associated with intention to allow location tracking but reasons against are negatively related to intention. Furthermore, for individuals with higher desire to share, reasons for and attitude have the stronger associations with intention, while the moderating effect of desire for privacy is insignificant. We make research contributions by examining the antecedents of the reasoning process, as well as the moderating role of desire to share, to account for the privacy paradox. We also contribute to behavioral reasoning theory by introducing regulatory focus-based antecedents to the reasoning process. We offer key practical suggestions for SNS providers and policymakers.

Automated summary

Social networking services (SNSs) have raised significant privacy concerns by collecting and analyzing users' personal data for personalization and customization purposes. This study investigates the psychological mechanisms that support or discourage mobile SNS users from enabling location tracking, considering the privacy paradox. Based on a survey of young internet users in China, the analysis shows that reasons against location tracking are negatively related to the intention, while reasons for location tracking are insignificant. The study contributes to understanding the antecedents of the reasoning process and offers practical suggestions for SNS providers and policymakers.