The privacy awareness behavior gap in young adult technology users

Digital privacy is an important concern as individuals rely on mobile applications, social media platforms, and online services that routinely collect and process personal information. Despite growing awareness of privacy risks, many users continue to engage in behaviors that may expose their personal data. This study examined the privacy awareness behavior gap among young adult technology users by investigating technology confidence, awareness of data collection practices, perceptions regarding the seriousness of data misuse, and engagement in privacy protective behaviors. A quantitative survey methodology was employed using an online questionnaire distributed through both physical and digital recruitment methods. A total of 108 participants aged 18 years and older completed the survey.
Approximately 69.4% of respondents reported technology confidence ratings of four or five on a five point scale, while 68.6% rated application data misuse as a serious concern. Despite this awareness, 59.3% of participants reported that they rarely or never read privacy policies before installing or using digital applications. These results indicate a disconnect between privacy awareness and privacy protective behavior. The findings are consistent with existing privacy paradox research, which suggests that privacy concerns do not always translate into actions that protect personal information.