Title: Enhancing university students' privacy literacy through an educational intervention: a Greek case-study

Authors: Maria Sideri; Angeliki Kitsiou; Eleni Tzortzaki; Christos Kalloniatis; Stefanos Gritzalis

Addresses: Privacy Engineering and Social Informatics Laboratory, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, GR 81100, Lesvos, Greece ' Privacy Engineering and Social Informatics Laboratory, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, GR 81100, Lesvos, Greece ' Information and Communication Systems Security Laboratory, Department of Information and Communications Systems Engineering, University of the Aegean, GR 83200, Samos, Greece ' Privacy Engineering and Social Informatics Laboratory, Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, GR 81100, Lesvos, Greece ' Information and Communication Systems Security Laboratory, Department of Information and Communications Systems Engineering, University of the Aegean, GR 83200, Samos, Greece

Abstract: Social network sites (SNSs) have doubtlessly altered the way that social actors communicate and interact worldwide. Several researches have shown that users disclose personal information within SNSs, while expressing privacy concerns. Users' inability to protect their privacy within SNSs, despite their recorded privacy concerns, constitutes the core of 'Privacy Paradox' and leads to privacy breaches or risks for themselves and other users. To reverse or at least minimise users' disclosure behaviour so as to protect themselves, researches underline the need for privacy awareness increase, focusing on the crucial role of education towards this. This research aims to explore the effects of a long-term university-based educational intervention for enhancing students' digital knowledge and skills to protect their privacy in SNSs efficiently. The findings are encouraging regarding students' privacy awareness enhancement and protection strategies adoption.

Keywords: SNSs; social network sites; Facebook; privacy concerns; privacy awareness; educational intervention; semester course.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEG.2019.103719

International Journal of Electronic Governance, 2019 Vol.11 No.3/4, pp.333 - 360

Received: 25 Mar 2018
Accepted: 21 Nov 2018
Published online: 25 Nov 2019 *

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