Exploring information security education on social media use. Perspective of uses and gratifications theory

Date16 September 2019
Pages618-636
Published date16 September 2019
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-09-2018-0213
AuthorShoufeng Ma,Shixin Zhang,Geng Li,Yi Wu
Subject MatterLibrary & information science,Information behaviour & retrieval,Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance,Information management
Exploring information security
education on social media use
Perspective of uses and gratifications theory
Shoufeng Ma, Shixin Zhang and Geng Li
Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, and
Yi Wu
Department of Information Management and Management Science,
Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Abstract
Purpose Based on the literature on information security (InfoSec) education and uses and gratifications
theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose and test a research model to examine the impact of InfoSec
education on social media usage.
Design/methodology/approach The authors employed structural equation modeling to test the research
model, with a survey data set of 293 valid subjects from a WeChat subscription about InfoSec education
named secrecy view.
Findings The results reveal the significant impacts of perceived content quality, perceived social influence and
perceived entertainment on user satisfaction in the context of security education and social media. User
satisfaction is significantly associated with user stickiness and security knowledge improvement. Additionally, the
authors found that users security awareness moderated the effect of perceived entertainment on user satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications Usinga single sample might constrainthe contributions of thisstudy.
Practical implications The authors suggest practical guidelines for InfoSec education on social media by
enhancing perceived content quality. Moreover, due to diverse user attributes, the social media operators
should recommend targeted content to different users.
Originality/value This study contributes to studies on InfoSec education of social media usage and
identifies factors that affect user satisfaction with social media. Furthermore, the study enriches the security
education practices by uncovering differences in security awareness with regard to user satisfaction.
Keywords Security awareness, Uses and gratifications theory
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Along with societys technological advancements, the significance of information security
(InfoSec) has gradually become recognized; individuals and organizations are increasingly
attentive to this issue. The literature demonstrates that humans are the most critical element
when it comes to InfoSec (Vance et al., 2013; Tsao, 2014). The improvement of an individuals
security awareness will change the ideas and behavior of the user. If people lack security
awareness of InfoSec policies or do not know how to respond to them, they will be more
likely to disclose personal information (Thomson and Solms, 1998). Therefore, it is critical to
provide InfoSec education to strengthen peoples InfoSec knowledge.
The traditional approach to InfoSec education mainly includes InfoSec training and
examining InfoSec knowledge. The form of education delivery is simple, and the content is
not entertaining resulting in ineffective education. However, the popularity of social media
has fundamentally changed the way people acquire information and knowledge. It is
imperative to use social media for InfoSec education, especially during times such as
commuting, waiting somewhere, before sleeping or taking breaks at work to read and share
information on social media (Li and Liu, 2016). This can also make InfoSec education more
convenient and interesting to learn.
Thus far, education providers have been using social media platforms (i.e. Facebook,
WeChat) to offer InfoSec education. They have established InfoSec education accounts on
Aslib Journal of Information
Management
Vol. 71 No. 5, 2019
pp. 618-636
© Emerald PublishingLimited
2050-3806
DOI 10.1108/AJIM-09-2018-0213
Received 7 October 2018
Revised 24 February 2019
Accepted 15 May 2019
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/2050-3806.htm
618
AJIM
71,5
these platforms and have even developed their own applications. However, the effect of
security education on social media is not very widespread. Therefore, it becomes important
to understand the effectiveness of security education on social media use in terms of user
stickiness and security knowledge improvement. Specifically, user stickiness is defined as
the ability to attract and retain users and prolong the duration of each stay on InfoSec
education accounts on social media platforms (Hsu and Liao, 2014), and it often occurs when
users are satisfied and develop overall positive attachment to the contents, functions and
services of InfoSec education accounts on the social media platforms (Tsao, 2014). Moreover,
security knowledge improvement is an important indicator of InfoSec education effect on
social media platforms.
Past studies demonstrate that user stickiness increases user access frequency and extends
access time (Hsu and Liao, 2014). This study investigated user stickiness through uses and
gratifications theory (UGT). According to UGT, social-, information-, and entertainment-related
needs influence user satisfaction (Bae, 2018; Liu et al., 2015). We propose that user satisfaction
will further affect the outcomes (i.e. user stickiness and security knowledge improvement).
Therefore, we identify user satisfaction as the underlying, mediating mechanism between UGT
and associated outcomes.
Overall, this study investigates, examines and identifies the critical factors that influence
user satisfaction with InfoSec education on social media platforms, finally leading to user
stickiness and security knowledge improvement.
2. Theoretical background
2.1 Social media usage in e-learning
Andreas Kaplan and Michael Haenlein define social media as a group of internet-based
applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that
allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content(Kaplan and Haenlein, 2010).
Based on this, increased attention has been paid to the relation between social media
and e-learning.
E-learning is a system which includes the application of some information technology
(IT) and information systems (IS) as online or offline services (Misut and Pribilova, 2015).
E-learning application could be web-, computer-, virtual- or digital-based learning
opportunities (Abdellatief et al., 2010). E-learning could be beneficial for learners to improve
their education, knowledge and skills with the most flexible and attractive learning tools
and without affecting daily activities. Simultaneously, education has been undergoing a
paradigm shift moving away from teaching-as-instruction and toward student-centered
learning (Singh and Kharb, 2013). Consequently, curricula have been increasingly designed
around learning outcomes rather than content (Lin and Hsieh, 2001). These education trends
have created interest in the use of web-based technology to create flexible learning
environments (Alavi, 1994). Through e-learning, everyone can share information and access
the subject material anytime.
Further, e-learning can also save time and money. In this modern era, by using a PC,
laptop or smartphone, people are willing to just sit for hours online. With this kind of trend,
educators need to implement the use of IT to enable the students to improve the quality
of media learning (e-learning), and social media can enable e-learning development in
InfoSec education.
It is efficient to introduce social media into the e-learning process because users can be
more communicative in such a learning environment. Teachersuse of Facebook is
perceived to have a positive effect on students where it is argued that it increases their
motivation and learning (Mazer et al., 2007). Dohn (2010) mentioned that Wikis and blogs
may be transformed into educational Web 2.0-affordances for teachers and students. It is
also found that Wikis, blogs, and podcasts could offer a way to enhance userslearning
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Exploring
information
security
education

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