WAIVER OF CONFIDENTIALITY IN A NETWORKED SOCIETY: A STUDY ON DATA SUBMISSIVENESS

The advent of big data is concomitant with the aggregation of personal data in online environments, and the dissemination of this data, which is predominantly private, by individuals on online platforms engenders a heightened sense of urgency regarding data privacy. The present study sought to interrogate the sensitivity of individuals towards data privacy, and to this end, the concept of data submissiveness was developed as a theoretical framework that seeks to elucidate individuals’ behaviour regarding their data in the absence of a sense of privacy. The study sought to identify the behaviours that reinforce the concept of data submissiveness, which is defined as individuals’ behaviour on online platforms that disregards data privacy while sharing personal data. An online questionnaire was administered to 428 participants to assess their behaviour in relation to data submissiveness. The findings revealed that individuals on online platforms do indeed exhibit data-submissive behaviours, despite concerns regarding data privacy.