Abstract
In the digital era, privacy has emerged as a paramount concern for users. Rapid technological advancements have significantly transformed the processes of collecting, storing, and utilizing personal information. Nevertheless, the incidence of data breaches and unauthorized access to personal data is on the rise, culminating in identity theft and financial losses, such as the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal and the Equifax data breach. This dichotomy between realizing the value of data and safeguarding privacy has garnered considerable attention from consumers, corporations, and governments. Despite consumers' vigilance regarding privacy issues, their awareness of privacy protections afforded by mobile applications remains markedly insufficient. Research indicates that 32% of users never read the privacy policies of mobile applications. This arises a pertinent question: does heightened awareness of privacy authorizations foster more informed decisions about data sharing and engender a stronger demand for data protection, thereby mitigating the privacy paradox? If the key to resolving privacy-related dilemmas lies in simply enhancing public awareness, then this research and the following ones are crucial for addressing future privacy challenges.
This study employs an online questionnaire experimental method to investigate whether prompts about privacy authorization methods and reinforced application privacy policies can help narrow the gap between individuals' privacy awareness and behavior, thereby encouraging more proactive protection of personal privacy.