Information privacy concern and willingness to use cloud computing services :an empirical study on IIUM students

Abstract

Cloud computing technology is one of the current technologies that are widely used by consumers globally due to its numerous advantages. One of the common advantages is that users can get access to applications, their files and data from any location at any period in time around the world and on demand. However, there are privacy concern issues which discourage users from being active in cloud computing environment. This study attempts to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ information privacy concern in cloud computing environment (CCE) and willingness to use cloud computing services. Using a quantitative research approach, a total of 340 responses were gathered from undergraduate and postgraduate students from International Islamic University Malaysia. The responses were used to test the hypotheses of the study using SPSS software. The researcher developed a conceptual framework based on communication privacy management theory (CPM). Moreover, this study postulates eight hypotheses. In order to test these hypotheses many techniques such as Multiple Regression, ANOVA and t-test were used. The findings of this study discovered that the perceived privacy risk influences users’ information privacy concern in CCE. While, perceived privacy control and perceived effectiveness of privacy policy have no significant influence on users’ information privacy concern in CCE. On the other hand, perceived privacy control, perceived effectiveness of privacy policy and information privacy concern in cloud computing environment have significant influence on users’ willingness to use cloud computing services.