A vocabulary test to assess the privacy and information security awareness in online social networking among university college students

Abstract

Privacy and information security awareness in online social networking is important for developing the first layer of protection for online social networking users. In order to develop a high quality and successful privacy and information security awareness plan, the current level of awareness should be properly assessed in depth. Various studies in relation to the methodology used in assessing the privacy and information security awareness level are available. However, this exploratory study assessed the level of privacy and information security awareness of 150 samples by using the vocabulary test approach. Through this type of approach it assesses the relationship between the knowledge of privacy and information security concepts and the corresponding behavior of the respondents. The results of the study conducted indicate that there is a positive relationship between the knowledge of privacy and information security concepts and the corresponding behaviour. This suggests that the privacy and information security awareness program should be structured into practicality rather than in theory.