Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices towards Personal Data Protection in Social Media among Indonesian College Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26623/themessenger.v17i3.11648Keywords:
Personal Data, Social Media, New Media, Digital LiteracyAbstract
Purpose: This study examines the awareness of Indonesian college students from diverse regions regarding personal data protection, focusing on the dimensions of knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The research is exploratory in nature and does not aim to generalize findings beyond the studied cases.
Methods: A purposive sampling technique was employed in this study. Given the unknown population size, an infinite sample formula was applied with the assumption p=0.5 and 95% confidence interval. With a margin of error of ±5.43%, the final sample consisted of 325 respondents. The survey measured three variables: knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to personal data protection. College students were chosen as they are the most active social media users and vulnerable to data sharing, with the sample providing demographic diversity and a representative overview of personal data protection awareness.
Findings: Results reveal a persistent lack of understanding among Indonesian college students regarding personal data protection. Most respondents expressed little concern about publishing personal information on social media, with many continuing to share personal data despite potential risks.
Originality: This study advances theoretical novelty by integrating Social Information Processing Theory with identity fluidity to explain students’ disclosure of personal data on social media despite existing legal safeguards. Unlike prior research that focused primarily on global privacy paradoxes or platform-specific behaviors, it situates the analysis within Indonesia’s regulatory context, thereby exposing the gap between law and practice and enriching discourse on digital literacy and mediated identity.
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