BEING CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET: USER\u27S PERCEPTIONS OF PRIVACY AND SECURITY

The Internet is viewed as a new mass medium with considerable potential for its users, but with important privacy and security risks as well. These issues are addressed by summarizing the latest research findings and theoretical standpoints. Also, in order to investigate how the problems of security and privacy on the Internet are perceived in contrast with traditional mass media, a survey was performed among Croatian college students that are familiar with the Internet. The results of this survey indicated that Internet users are at least partially aware of the online privacy and security risks. Also, it was found that when specific information about the causes of Internet related privacy and security risks were actually provided to the users, the Internet was viewed as even more disadvantageous in comparison to television and the press. Even though such results were anticipated, they are illustrative of the forces that negatively influence the affinity for Internet use and restrain user behavior on that medium