The Price of Privacy: How Privacy Concerns Shape Users’ Responses to Data Heists and Cyberbullying in Social Media Disengagement Through Privacy Calculus Theory

As data heists and cyberbullying become increasingly prevalent on social media, understanding user disengagement is crucial. Framed through Privacy Calculus Theory, this study examines how privacy concerns moderate the effects of these threats on users’ decisions to suspend their social media use. Using survey data from 1,000 Pakistani social media users and structural equation modeling, we find that data heists increase the likelihood of cyberbullying, which in turn is linked to account suspension. Privacy concerns play a dual moderating role: they negatively moderate the data heist-suspension link, suggesting highly concerned users may adjust settings rather than disengage. Conversely, they positively moderate the cyberbullying-suspension link, making withdrawal a more likely response to harassment. These findings underscore that users perform a nuanced cost-benefit analysis, where the nature of the threat determines how privacy concerns shape protective behaviors. The study offers insights for platforms to develop tailored privacy strategies that address these distinct user calculi.