How Peer Privacy Concerns Affect Active and Passive Uses of Social Networking Sites: A Dual Peer Privacy Calculus Model

Abstract

Social networking sites (SNSs) have emerged as parallel societies, providing individuals with a platform to interact with peers and construct their desired self-identities. However, maintaining a positive image and safeguarding oneself from social judgment often necessitate self-censorship in self-identity expression. Drawing upon the privacy calculus theory, this study investigates how SNS users engage in a rational cost–benefit analysis between peer privacy concerns and self-presentation when deciding whether to actively or passively use SNSs. Findings from a variance-based analysis—partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)—to a sample of 394 Facebook users revealed that active use was primarily driven by perceived benefits, while passive use was triggered by perceived privacy costs. However, employing a case-based analysis—fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the present study uncovered that while some SNS users do not conform to the privacy calculus, many others do, thereby confirming the proposed dual privacy calculus model for SNS use. These findings resolve the contradictory findings from previous research on the privacy calculus model. This study extends the literature on the privacy calculus theory by developing a dual peer privacy calculus model to understand SNS users’ passive and active uses and validate the significance of peer privacy concerns on these behavioral patterns. This study underscores critical factors influencing SNS usage patterns, empowering platform developers to provide users with effective tools to combat privacy violations by peers, thereby promoting increased active engagement.