Perception of Online Privacy Protection among Youth in the UAE Social Media Users: (A Case Study of Instagram and TikTok)

The research problem addressed through the current study is to investigate the unclear or ambiguous relationship between the independent variables of perceived privacy risk, and perceived benefits against dependent variables of user privacy policy knowledge and privacy action, among youth in the UAE, who are social media users, with a focus on Instagram and TikTok platforms. The research highlights the importance for every user to protect their personal information and limit its visibility on social media platforms. The study focuses on two social media platforms, TikTok and Instagram. It adopts the privacy calculus theory established by Culnan and Armstrong (1999) and Dinev and Hart (2006), later revisited by Mayer and Kramer (2022). This theory hypothesizes that individuals weigh the risks and benefits before disclosing personal information and consider the future impact of such disclosures. The study used quantitative research methodology and collected data through a survey of 386 young people, both citizens and residents of the United Arab Emirates. The results indicated that young people in the UAE possess strong digital literacy and privacy management skills. Growing up in the age of technology has made them more knowledgeable about using technology and more capable of activating privacy protection measures on these platforms. The study found that many users tend to avoid reading the lengthy and complex privacy policies of TikTok and Instagram. However, most participants were aware of the strategies used to collect their personal data and information via social media platforms. This aligns with the Privacy Calculus theory. The study also revealed that many young users were comfortable sharing their personal information in exchange for using certain services and were unconcerned about these platforms sharing their data with third parties or storing it even after they closed their accounts. Additionally, the study highlighted a significant lack of privacy protection for young people on social media platforms, especially when it comes to accepting friend requests from strangers. The research specifically focused on digital privacy among youth in the United Arab Emirates, with an emphasis on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.