A study of social networking site use from a three-pronged security and privacy threat assessment perspective

This study focuses on how social networking site (SNS) users’ perceived risk is affected by perceptions of the duality of potentially harmful events (cyber-attacks and privacy breaches) on SNS and explores the potential threat sources that influence such perceptions. Further, it examines the effects of perceived risk on SNS members’ site use and the underlying mechanisms through which these effects are cast. The study finds that users’ perceived SNS risk affects site use behavior through attitude as an important mediator and users’ concern regarding cyber-attacks (security) casts a greater impact than the concern regarding privacy breaches in shaping perceived SNS risk.