프라이버시 위협을 통제할 수 없는 상황에서 이루어지는 심리적 통제 과정에 관한 연구: 방어기제를 중심으로

Regarding privacy right, there exists an acute conflict between companies that claim the right to use customers’ personal information collected through their provision of particular services and individuals who have agreed on the collection and use of their personal information but demand the right about their personal information and liability for its protection. Amid a sharp debate over personal information ownership and control, the Meta (Facebook) and Instagram has notified that one must agree on their revised policies about personal information collection, sharing, and transfer in order to continue using their services, and it has resulted in dissatisfaction and anxiety about privacy control in individuals with no other option. While discussions on privacy control continue and there is no clear ground for private information ownership and control, those who inevitably have to agree on the revised policies come to find other ways to control their personal discomfort and anxiety. The purpose of this study is to understand the process of controlling anxiety and fear that arise in situations where they are forced to agree on new regulations for the use of SNSs. To that end, this study explains (1) the inconsistency that occurs when one has to agree on the policies of personal information collection, sharing, and transfer despite their concerns about privacy control, (2) the process that anxiety and fear arise of personal information leakage, misuse, and privacy infringement, and (3) how to control anxiety and fear about privacy infringement. In addition, this study explains the process that privacy concerns arise through the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). In other words, according to the study model, privacy concerns arise according to perceived severity and perceived vulnerability, the factors derived from the EPPM. In addition, to explain the process of controlling the unstable emotions that arise when one has to agree on the provision of personal information despite their privacy concerns, this study explains the theory of self-defense mechanisms, and this researcher included the way of ‘avoiding facing the reality’ derived from the theory of self-defense mechanisms into the study model and conducted empirical analysis through surveying. According to the results of the empirical analysis, (1) people feel anxiety and fear about privacy infringement in situations where they cannot control their personal information and fail to exhibit their efficacy about privacy control and (2) those who feel anxiety about privacy infringement tend to control the feeling through the way of ‘avoiding facing the reality’.