User concerns regarding information sharing on social networking sites: The user's perspective in the context of national culture

Information sharing via social networking systems (SNS) is a common practice among academics, as well as others, that brings substantial benefits. At the same time, privacy concerns are widespread among SNS users, which may tend to inhibit their maximising the benefit from using the systems. This paper investigates the proposition that SNS user attitudes and behaviour are affected by privacy concerns, and that the effects are subject to significant cultural factors. A broad assessment of the literature provides the context for the study. Working in the context of Saudi Arabia, we apply a mixed-methods approach beginning with in-depth interviews, exposing in detail a range of views and concerns about privacy and SNS use, also allowing us to identify three key factors that bear on SNS usage and users’ concerns. Analysis of these factors in the light of the “theory of reasoned action” derives a structural model predicting several hypotheses relating the factors and users’ attitudes and behaviour. We assess the model through development of a questionnaire, administered to a large pool of academic participants, that allows us to examine how the model responds in general, and via multigroup partial least squares analyses, differentially to gender and to culturally distinct (Arab vs. non-Arab) constituents of the participant group. Results show good support for the hypotheses and clear gender and culture effects. Picking up issues from the interviews, discussion focuses on users’ views about SNS providers’ privacy policies and their inadequacy regarding culturally specific ethical concerns. We argue that these views may reflect different regulatory environments in combination with other cultural factors.

Effects of Internet Use on Well-Being in Rural China

Given the rapid development of internet and dramatic change it has brought to human life, this study examines the effect of internet use on well-being in rural China. Findings indicate that the act of engaging with internet and the increase in its usage frequency both have significant positive effects on well-being in rural China, whereas the effect attenuates with the increase of usage frequency. These results imply that internet use features diminishing marginal returns. In the sub-groups divided by education and age, the higher educated and the younger groups use internet more frequently. However, internet use significantly promotes well-being of the lower educated, the middle-aged and the elderly groups, and its effect on the higher educated and the younger groups is insignificant. A further analysis uncovers that internet use increase well-being through relieving loneliness. This study affirms the benefits of internet in rural China, but obsessive internet use could offset the benefits. Thus, the implication of using internet appropriately are highlighted.

Use and Reuse of Collaboration and Communication Technologies in Projects

Use of technology and more recently reuse of technology have received a great deal of attention in Information Technology research. However, students’ use and reuse of technology have received little attention. The purpose of this research is to examine if students working in a team will use the same technology with which they have experience and reuse it again. Also, the purpose of this research is to examine the reasons for reusing technology. The Technology Continuance Theory (Liao et al., 2009) is used in this research as an explanatory theory for the reuse of collaboration and communication technologies in teamwork. The findings support experience with a technology as the main driver of reuse of the same technology. The findings also suggest perception of technology usefulness as the main reasons for reuse.