Managing tensions between privacy and connection in the sharing of personal information ownership on social media: overall and by gender

Drawing on the premise of dialectical tensions in the management of privacy and connectivity, this study proposes a model presenting a clue to the privacy paradox: how social media users negotiate information ownership while reacting to privacy concerns. The study further examines gender differences in the perception of privacy concerns and negotiation of information ownership. The findings show that others’ sharing of information ownership influenced one’s own sharing of information ownership. While privacy concerns increased privacy rule adaptation, positive norms of shared information ownership negatively influenced privacy rule adaptation. There were gender differences found: women were more likely than men to react positively to expand shared information ownership and to regulate the degree of shared information ownership by adapting their privacy rules. Men were less likely than women to be concerned about privacy in reflection of the positive norms of sharing information ownership on social media.