Cross-Cultural Differences in Mobile Privacy Perceptions: The Case of German and U.S. Mobile Media Users

• In Event: ICA Interactive paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Mass Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Based on the notion that not only individual factors but also context factors such as culture impact on media users’ privacy attitudes and behaviors this paper examines cross-cultural differences in privacy perceptions among German and US mobile media users. Acknowledging that both cultural values as well as (national) privacy regulation impact on privacy perceptions the particular case of Germany (more strict, omnibus privacy regulation) and the US (sectoral regulation) were selected. Empirically, the study relies on qualitative interviews (N=55) to analyze differences in the perception of private information (RQ1), concerns on potential privacy infringements during mobile media use (RQ2) and preferences for privacy regulation (RQ3). Preliminary findings support the notion that perceptions of privacy are affected by cultural differences but potentially to a lesser extent than expected.

Author

• Leyla Dogruel, Johannes Gutenberg - U Mainz