Online usage motive and information disclosure for preteen children

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to examine motivations for young consumers' internet use, how these motivations relate to children's privacy concerns and, subsequently, children's willingness to disclose personally identifiable information.Design/methodology/approachThe strengths of three common internet usage motives (information seeking, entertainment, and socializing) in predicting disclosure behavior are examined via survey research with a sample of children aged 10‐12.FindingsTwo of the motives – information seeking and socializing – are found to influence privacy concerns, which in turn, are shown to affect willingness to disclose information. Information‐seeking motivations were positively related to privacy concerns, while socializing motivations were negatively related to privacy concerns. Direct incentives are also found to increase disclosure.Originality/valueThe findings suggest that the uses and gratifications theory is useful for understanding children's privacy behaviors relating to information seeking and socializing motivations. Combining this with the varying levels of interactivity of websites that might satisfy various motives helps researchers begin to understand how particular motives may lead to increases or decreases in risky behavior; in this case, preteen disclosure of personal information.