This study empirically examines the effects of two distinct types of privacy-related concerns (organizational threats and social threats) on different aspects of information disclosure (amount, honesty and conscious control) on social network sites, especially by highlighting the role of trusting beliefs (integrity & honesty, predictability, benevolence, competence), across three markets in which social network usage is substantial (i.e. US, Europe, and East Asia). The study contributes to the literature focused on the paradoxical dichotomy between privacy attitudes and behaviors. In a quantitative modeling framework, we develop a structural model based on our previous conceptual model. We use data collected through snowball convenience sampling technique from a large sample (n=624), Web-based consumer survey from Europe, US and East Asia to measure these constructs, and we fit a series of structural equation models that test related prior theory. Findings suggest that the “Social Sharing” paradox may result from a failure to disentangle between social and organizational concerns, since the authors find no effect of privacy concerns about organizational threats on overall disclosure (amount and honesty of information) but find high conscious control of information disclosed for higher concerns towards social threats. Trusting beliefs differently influence information disclosure in the three main geographical areas and were found to moderate the effect of social concerns on the amount of information disclosed and conscious control. Further the cross-country analysis results suggest that cultural values may affect how concerns about privacy and trusting beliefs, impact self-disclosure. For practice, our research suggests actionable strategies to aid online marketers in matching information requests with the needs and concerns of consumers by providing greater control and customization and enhancing firm trust.

• Margherita Pagani(Emlyon Business School, France)
• Alessandro Ferrari(Facebook, Milan, Italy)