Dimensions of vertical and horizontal information privacy concerns

Nowadays, the use of the internet is widespread, despite many people being concerned about their information privacy when using it. While the concept of information privacy concerns (IPCs) is central to understanding internet users’ perceptions about information privacy, it has come under criticism. On the one hand, it may not fully reflect the contemporary concerns of internet users. On the other hand, it is typically explored as a unitary concept, despite research showing that the distinction between vertical (institutional) and horizontal (social) IPCs is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of users’ concerns. The current study adopted an exploratory qualitative approach using focus groups to gain insights into individuals’ vertical and horizontal IPCs when using the internet. Thematic analysis of the discussions indicated that participants were concerned about many, but not all, issues identified in the literature on IPCs. Based on these findings, we proposed a revised definition of IPCs that extends previous conceptualizations by incorporating concerns about persistence, discrimination, and manipulation, while delineating the concepts of awareness and control. The analysis also showed that although participants thought about vertical and horizontal IPCs in similar terms, they were concerned due to different reasons. Vertical IPCs centered on surveillance and loss of freedom, while horizontal IPCs highlighted damages to identity and dignity. The study advances our knowledge of IPCs and shows that for a comprehensive understanding of contemporary users’ concerns we need to consider a wider range of information privacy issues than previously thought.