Post hoc security and privacy concerns in mobile apps: the moderating roles of mobile apps’ features and providers

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to argue that user’s continued use behavior is contingent upon two perceptions (i.e. the app and the provider). This study examines the moderating effects of user’s perceptions of apps and providers on the effects of security and privacy concerns and investigate whether assurance mechanisms decrease such concerns. Design/methodology/approach This study conducts a scenario-based survey with 694 mobile cloud computing (MCC) app users to understand their perceptions and behaviors. Findings This study finds that while perceived value of data transfer to the cloud moderates the effects of security and privacy concerns on continued use behavior, trust only moderates the effect of privacy concerns. This study also finds that perceived effectiveness of security and privacy intervention impacts privacy concerns but does not decrease security concerns. Originality/value Prior mobile app studies mainly focused on mobile apps and did not investigate the perceptions of app providers along with app features in the same study. Furthermore, International Organization for Standardization 27018 certification and privacy policy notification are the interventions that exhibit data assurance mechanisms. However, it is unknown whether these interventions are able to decrease users’ security and privacy concerns after using MCC apps.

Performance Analysis of Suggestion Mining for Mobile Apps

“…Inadequate data security practices, including unencrypted data transmission, weak authentication protocols, and a dearth of user control over data collection, can expose sensitive user information to unauthorized access. These security shortcomings can have severe repercussions, potentially leading to identity theft, financial loss, or the exploitation of personal information for malicious purposes [19]. • Limited Battery Life: Mobile devices often experience short battery life because many apps drain a lot of power even when not in use.…”