Ivan Ka Wai Lai and Guicheng Shi The Impact of Privacy Concern in the Consumer Acceptance of Mobile Instant Messaging and Social Network Integration Platform Ivan Ka Wai Lai and Guicheng Shi

Abstract Mobile Instant Messaging and Social Network (MIM-SN) app such as WeChat is an instant communication application integrated with social network features for new generation smartphones. This study tries to extend UTAUT2 model with privacy concern to explain consumer behavior in the adoption of MIM-SN app in China. Through an online survey, 251 valid questionnaires were collected. A Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was used to conduct the proposed model and hypothesis testing. The integration of privacy concern factor into the UTAUT2 model reduces the impacts of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. Compared to UTAUT2, the extended model produces a better explanation in behavioral intention towards adopting MIM-SN app in China (89.58 percent). This study recommended that the MIM-SN app service providers should guarantee there are sufficient explicit policies to protect the users’ privacy. This study provides a framework for further research on consumer acceptance models of social network applications.

Introduction Mobile Instant Messaging and Social Network (MIM-SN) is a Mobile Instant Messaging (MIM) and social network integrated application that users can access Instant Messaging (IM) services and upload photos without a specified receiver, which is just like writing blogs from their mobile phones. A number of studies were conducted to evaluate the factors that affect the adoption of IM and MIM. However, little research was reported on the study of the adoption behavior of MIM-SN app. The aim of the study is to investigate the factors that can significantly explain the consumer acceptance of MIM-SN app. This study tries to extend UTAUT2 with a new factor - privacy concern - to evaluate the level of importance of different factors on the acceptance of MIM-SN app in China.

UTAUT2 Venkatesh et al. (2003) compared the similarities and differences among eight distinct models and proposed a unified model – UTAUT. Venkatesh et al. (2012) proposed UTAUT2 by extending UTAUT from an organizational to a consumer context. They added three drivers (hedonic motivation, price value, and habit) into the UTAUT model. Venkatesh, V., Morris, M.G., Davis, G.B. and Davis, F.D. (2003) ‘User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view’, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 425–478. Venkatesh, V., Thong, J.Y.L. and Xu, X. (2012) ‘Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology’, MIS Quarterly, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 157-178.

Privacy Concern Privacy is defined as safeguarding personal information against unauthorized or unjustified disclosure (Gosten and Nass, 2009). MIM-SN app is a kind of online social-network applicants. Users may worry about the disclosure of their personal information that they posted in the online social-network. This worry may prohibit the use of MIM-SN app.

Research Model

Hypotheses Hypothesis 1 Performance expectancy has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 2 Effort expectancy has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 3 Social influence has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 4 Facilitating conditions have a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 5 Hedonic motivation has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 6 Price value has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 7 Habit has a positive influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 8 Privacy concern has a negative influence on the behavioral intention towards adopting the MIM-SN app in China.

Further Extended Model

Hypotheses Hypothesis 9 Effort expectancy has a positive influence on the performance expectancy of adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 10 Hedonic motivation has a positive influence on the performance expectancy of adopting the MIM-SN app in China. Hypothesis 11 Privacy concern has a negative influence on the performance expectancy of adopting the MIM-SN app in China.

Instrument Performance Expectancy Effort Expectancy I find MIM-SN app (such as Wechat) useful in my daily life. Using MIM-SN app increases my chances of achieving things that are important to me. Using MIM-SN app helps me accomplish things more quickly. Using MIM-SN app increases my productivity. Effort Expectancy Learning how to use MIM-SN app is easy for me. My interaction with MIM-SN app is clear and understandable. I find MIM-SN app easy to use. It is easy for me to become skillful at using MIM-SN app.

Instrument Social Influence Facilitating Conditions People who are important to me think that I should use MIM-SN app. People who influence my behavior think that I should use MIM-SN app. People whose opinions that I value prefer that I use MIM-SN app. Facilitating Conditions I have the resources necessary to use MIM-SN app. I have the knowledge necessary to use MIM-SN app. MIM-SN app is compatible with other technologies I use. I can get help from others when I have difficulties using MIN-SN app.

Instrument Hedonic Motivation Price Value Using MIM-SN app is fun. Using MIM-SN app is enjoyable. Using MIM-SN app is very entertaining. Price Value MIM-SN app is reasonably priced. MIM-SN app is a good value for the money. At the current price, MIM-SN app provides a good value.

Instrument Habit Privacy Concern The use of MIM-SN app has become a habit for me. I am addicted to using MIM-SN app. I must use MIM-SN app. Using MIM-SN app has become natural to me. Privacy Concern I would be concerned that information collected when I using MIM-SN app could be misused. I would be concerned about losing privacy data when I using the MIM-SN app. I would be concerned about my personal information being stolen or leaked if I use MIM-SN app.

Instrument Behavioral Intention I intend to continue using MIM-SN app in the future. I will always try to use MIM-SN app in my daily life. I plan to continue to use MIM-SN app frequently.

Data Collection The target population was restricted to people who are using or probably will use MIM-SN app. Therefore, an online survey was employed The questionnaire was posted on a popular online survey website (www.sojump.com) in China. People were invited to fill the questionnaire through QQ groups and WeChat forums. Three hundred 300 respondents (n = 300) participated in the online survey in April 2012, but 49 sets of data were eliminated due to being incomplete or invalid. Therefore the sample size in the study ended up being reduced to 251.

Results of PLS analysis

Results of PLS analysis

Contribution in Theories the generalizability of UTAUT2 model Table 5 shows the results of different structural models: UTAUT, UTAUT+PC, UTAUT2, and UTAUT2+PC. The value of R square of the UTAUT2+PC model is the largest compared with others models. It means above 89.58% of the confirmatory model can be explained.

Contribution in Theories the generalizability of UTAUT2 model If we do not consider privacy concern factor, the path coefficients of performance expectancy and effort expectancy in the UTAUT model and the UTAUT2 model are higher than other factors (UTAUT model,βPE = 0.420, βEE = 0.295; UTAUT2 model, βPE = 0.292, βEE = 0.257). However, when we consider privacy concern factor, the path coefficients of performance expectancy and effort expectancy in the UTAUT model and the UTAUT2 model have a larger decrease compare with other factors (UTAUT+PC model, βPE = 0.253, βEE = 0.194; UTAUT2+PC, βPE = 0.119, βEE = 0.149). It means that the integration of privacy concern factor into the UTAUT2 model reduces the impacts of performance expectancy and effort expectancy. When the MIM-SN app users consider privacy issues, social influence factor becomes more important than performance expectancy and effort expectancy during the adoption of MIM-SN app.

Contribution in Theories The negative effect Concerns about privacy are a negative factor in the adoption of this technology. In the past, most of the user acceptance models were applied in the industrial context where the owners of firms invested substantial sums on the new technology for their employees to use. Because of these researchers wanted to find out the factors that could motivate employees to adopt the new technology. Therefore, most of the technology acceptance models only emphasise the positive effects.

Contribution in Theories The negative effect However, in the consumer market, consumers pay money to buy new technologies. They use the new technology and also bear the risks of using that new technology. Consumers can make the decision on whether or not to adopt the new technology. Therefore, consumers will consider the negative side as well as positive side when adopting a new technology. This study contributes to our knowledge of the importance of negative factors in the study of consumer technology acceptance. The results of this study recommend researchers who study consumer technology acceptance should focus more on negative factors as well as positive factors for their further studies.

Contribution in Theories facilitating conditions are not hypothesized Because MIM-SN app users had a good experience in IM applications, they have sufficient knowledge to use similar social-network applications installed in mobile phones. Thus, consumers are not concerned with the facilitating supports of the MIM-SN app. This result reveals that if a new application (such as WeChat) which is extended from a popular application (such as QQ), facilitating conditions will not be a critical concern for the users.

Contribution in Theories the importance of privacy concern Once consumers use MIM-SN app, all their social communication transactions are stored in the MIM-SN app servers. These transactions (include texts, photos, and videos) are traceable and thus MIM-SN app users are concern about their online privacy. Privacy concern has a negative impact on influencing performance expectancy

Contribution in Theories social influence MIM-SN app is a communication tool that aims for consumers communicate with their friends. Users will be invited to join the social network by their friends through the adoption of MIM-SN app. effort expectancy People who have not installed the MIM-SN app will feel excluded when they see everybody chatting with their friends using MIM-SN app. Once consumers install MIM-SN app, they will find that it is really very easy to use to communicate with friends.

Contribution in Theories habit They will use it to chat with friends from time to time automatically. Then, using MIM-SN app to chat with friends becomes a habit. MIM-SN app users will find that they cannot stop using MIM-SN app whenever and wherever. hedonic motivation hedonic feature is an essential component that facilitates users to enjoy the communication process. MIM-SN app users feel pleasure when they get a funny smiley from their friends.

Contribution in Theories price value Price value is the cost and pricing structure for using MIM-SN app. Free download MIM-SN app is a strong motivator that encourages users to try the MIM-SN app. Price value influences consumers’ decision making regarding new technology adoption. performance expectancy MIM-SN app is a fast and convenient communicate tool. MIM-SN app users can chat with a group of friends that have a common interest. It is also an effective way to communicate with friends for business collaboration.

Contribution in Theories extended model – mediating effects The results of PLS analysis for further extended model indicate that performance expectancy is affected by effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, and privacy concern. In others words, performance expectancy affects behavioral intention indirectly through effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, and privacy concern. This negative effect of privacy concern is stronger than the sum of positive effects from effort expectancy and hedonic motivation on performance expectancy