Thin privacy boundaries: proximity and accessibility of E-commerce privacy policy in young consumers of Indonesia
International Journal of Social Economics
ISSN: 0306-8293
Article publication date: 9 January 2024
Issue publication date: 1 August 2024
Abstract
Purpose
Privacy is a sensitive issue in business because it involves how a platform uses consumer personal data. In terms of consumer rights, personal information needs to be protected in the privacy policy (PP). This study describes several aspects of the PP that consumers need to pay attention to, especially points prone to misuse of personal information.
Design/methodology/approach
This research used a taxonomy of consumer privacy concerns in e-commerce to reveal general and specific privacy concerns. The privacy calculus theory was also applied to explore consumer rationalization using (1) consumer knowledge about PP, (2) subjective perception, and (3) proximity to the PP features. Furthermore, the netnographic approach was used to combine the interrelation between technology and social construction. A sample of 378 young consumers in several major cities in Indonesia participated online and offline. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to gain more in-depth comprehension.
Findings
The results showed that most young consumers have sufficient basic knowledge of the important points of PP. Furthermore, they tend not to read the PP because it is long and cumbersome, and therefore do not wish to expend much cognitive effort on it.
Originality/value
This study provides several results that can be utilized by policymakers or e-commerce companies to pay more attention to PPs for young groups. In addition, e-commerce companies can increase the knowledge of the privacy situation of Internet users in general.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-11-2022-0740
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian Masyarakat (LPPM) Universitas Negeri Malang, grant number 5.4.1/UN32/KP/2023.
Citation
Yuniar, A.D. (2024), "Thin privacy boundaries: proximity and accessibility of E-commerce privacy policy in young consumers of Indonesia", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 51 No. 9, pp. 1182-1194. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-11-2022-0740
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited