ABSTRACT
There is limited understanding of how users’ perception of risk changes depending on the types of online activities they engage in. In this study, Protection Motivation Theory was used to explore how Internet users change their privacy and risk perceptions as they engage in the online activities of searching, social networking and online shopping. An online survey compared risk perceptions, privacy concerns and protection behaviours of participants. Shopping was found to have the highest score for perceived likelihood of financial risk but the lowest scores for perceived likelihood of information risk and self-efficacy. People who felt competent using technology felt they were better able to deal with perceived problems online. Finally, people with previous experience of information misuse felt more at risk from online threats for shopping and search but not from social networking.
