Privacy Risks and Online Self-Disclosure: Examining Privacy Invasion Experience and Privacy Control among Pakistani University Students

Abstract

Online self-disclosure has become a central feature of digital communication, yet it remains shaped by complex evaluations of perceived risks and contextual influences. This study examines privacy invasion experience impact on online self-disclosure among university students in Pakistan, while also evaluating moderating role of privacy control. Drawing on Privacy Calculus Theory and Communication Privacy Management Theory, study employs a quantitative design using survey data from 443 students and analyzes relationships through PLS-SEM. Findings reveal that privacy invasion experience significantly influence online self-disclosure in shaping digital behavior, however, privacy control does not significantly moderate these relationships. Study contributes to literature by extending privacy calculus through experiential privacy-related risk dimensions and provides insights for developing safer and more context-sensitive digital environments.