The invasion of minors’ online privacy has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Examining the disclosure and protection behaviours of minors about online privacy provides a theoretical basis for the development of educational activities aimed at safeguarding minors’ privacy. This study utilised visual analysis tools and content analysis of literature to systematically map out the research hotspots and evolution in this field. The findings revealed that (1) research in this area is thriving and interdisciplinary, (2) existing studies primarily focus on minors aged 12–18 and their active privacy disclosure behaviour in social media and other scenarios, as well as key influencing factors, (3) these studies not only examine the influence of minors themselves but also the influence of parents and peers on minors’ online privacy behaviours, and (4) most minors adopt avoidance strategies such as privacy settings and alternative websites to protect their online privacy. Further research could expand the research context, resolve controversial factors, use multiple methods, and explore additional privacy behaviours. This literature review plays a crucial role in generating academic discourse and provides valuable insights for developing privacy protection policies tailored to minors.

Face Recognition Payment (FRP) technology and devices in the offline market continue to mature and popularize, and how to further promote the use of FRP deserves our attention. Previous studies have focused more on the antecedent elements that influence users’ intention to use FRP. To date, we still know little about what motivates the gap between FRP use intention and behavior. We conduct a two-stage study using a mixed-methods approach. We conduct 142 interviews in Study 1 to identify barriers to this study. Based on this, the appropriate research model is formulated. In study 2, we collect a valid sample of 275 data points and employ regression analysis to examine the model. To answer this question, this study adopts innovation resistance theory (IRT) to develop a research model. The results suggest that the degree of influence of FRP use intention on use behavior depends on users’ habits, complexity, embarrassment, perceived privacy risk, and expected switching costs. All of these factors negatively influence the extent to which intention acts on behavior. This study helps bridge the FRP use intention–behavior gap and provides practical suggestions for offline retailers and design units in designing and marketing FRP technology in a rational way.

China’s digital collectibles utilize blockchain technology to create unique digital certificates for specific works and artworks that consumers can purchase, collect, and use. Digital collectibles are localized Chinese digital products, similar to non-fungible token (NFT), but with differences. This study explores the influencing factors and mechanisms of consumer purchase in digital collectibles. Our study developed a research model based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) paradigm and the integration of perceived value theory and social identity theory. We used a questionnaire survey method and obtained 333 valid samples. Then, we used PLS-SEM to test the model. The empirical results are as follows: (1) Our study constructs and validates a multidimensional structure of perceived value and perceived risk; (2) consumers’ perceived value influences their purchase intentions through the mediating roles of consumer-digital collectibles cognitive identification and affective identification; (3) both supply-based scarcity and demand-based scarcity have a positive moderating effect on the relationship between cognitive identification and purchase intention. Our study reveals the pathway mechanism of the purchase intention and demonstrates the moderating roles of supply-based and demand-based scarcity. In addition, our study can provide practical suggestions for platforms and industries to conduct marketing activities and avoid risk.

Advancements in technology have made autonomous delivery vehicles (ADVs) a feasible option for “last-mile” delivery, improving logistic efficiency in the global digital age. The promotion and popularization of ADVs must be based on widespread user acceptance. This study combines the technology readiness theory and innovation resistance theory to construct a research model to explore the key factors influencing users’ use and recommendation of ADVs. We collected 349 valid samples through a questionnaire survey and used partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the model. The results showed that (1) positive technology readiness reduces users’ perceptions of value barrier, tradition barrier, and image barrier, while negative technology readiness increases users’ perceptions of the five categories of innovation barriers: usage barrier, value barrier, risk barrier, tradition barrier, and image barrier; (2) users’ intention to use and recommend ADVs is negatively affected by the usage, value, and tradition barriers; (3) users of different genders have varying perceptions of the relationship between technology readiness, barrier factors, and the decision to use ADVs. This study reveals the influencing factors that hinder users from using and recommending ADVs and their functioning mechanisms from the perspective of barriers and examines the impact of gender differences between males and females. The study enriches the empirical research in ADVs, providing theoretical support and practical guidance for logistics companies and the government to develop autonomous delivery technology and publicize and promote ADVs.

Promoting electronic certificates (e-certificates) is an important convenience measure to realize the high efficiency and intelligence of digital government services. This study develops a research model based on behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) and regulatory focus theory (RFT) to understand the public’s application behavior of e-certificates, thus expanding the empirical exploration of government service from the perspective of audience psychological motivation. A two-stage mixed-method approach is used: the first phase involved qualitative interviews to determine reasons for and against applying for e-certificates; the second phase comprised a quantitative study with 496 valid samples using PLS-SEM to examine the model. Results show that value alignment impacts the reasons for and against applying for e-certificates, as well as the intention to apply. Reasoning also affects behavior and intention to apply. Additionally, regulatory focus plays an important moderating role in the relationship between reasoning and application behavior. These conclusions offer practical strategies and recommendations for governments and policymakers.

Information security-related stresses (SRSs) are widely considered to play a negative role in the workplace, motivating employees' violation of information security policies (ISPs). However, researchers have neglected to challenge SRS and its role in promoting positive security actions. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of both challenge and hindrance SRSs on employees' intention to comply with ISPs and the moderating mechanisms of regulatory focus in the relationship between SRSs and ISP compliance. Using survey data from 489 employees in Chinese enterprises, we applied a PLS-SEM method to test hypotheses. Our study found that the hindrance SRS had a negative effect on ISP compliance intention, differently, challenge SRS motivates employees to comply with ISPs. Our study also found prevention focus acted as a positive moderator in the relationship between hindrance SRS and compliance intention, while promotion focus had no effect on this relationship; Promotion focus positively moderated the relationship between challenge SRS and compliance intention, and prevention focus negatively moderated the relationship between challenge SRS and compliance intention. These findings provide new knowledge by examining the different effects and the boundary conditions to understand how two types of SRS influence employees' informaiton security dicisions.

Contactless digital service (CDS) users show different degrees of privacy protection disengagement when facing privacy invasion. This study tries to explore the factors that motivate CDS users to engage in privacy protection disengagement when facing privacy invasion based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework and regulatory focus theory. Data collected from 328 Chinese contactless digital menu service (CDMS) users are analysed via partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that privacy invasion indirectly affects privacy protection disengagement through partial mediation of privacy fatigue and privacy literacy. Moreover, the relationships between privacy fatigue/privacy literacy and privacy protection disengagement are moderated by a prevention focus. The results of this study provide a reference for CDS providers and policy-makers on how to reduce privacy invasion in CDSs and promote the healthy development of CDSs.

Purpose Effective information security management (ISM) contributes to building a healthy organizational digital ecology. However, few studies have built an analysis framework for critical influencing factors to discuss the combined influence mechanism of multiple factors on ISM performance (ISMP). This study aims to explore the critical success factors and understand how these factors contribute to ISMP. Design/methodology/approach This study used a mixed-method approach to achieve this study’s research goals. In Study 1, the authors conducted a qualitative analysis to take a series of International Organization for Standardization/International Electrotechnical Commission standard documents as the basis to refine the critical factors that may influence organizations’ ISMP. In Study 2, the authors built a research model based on the organizational control perspective and used the survey-based partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to understand the relationships between these factors in promoting ISMP. In Study 3, the authors used the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method to empirically analyze the complex mechanisms of how the combinations of the factors affect ISMP. Findings The following three research findings are obtained. First, based on the text-based qualitative analysis, the authors refined the critical success factors that may increase ISMP, including information security policies (ISP), top management support (TMS), alignment (ALI), information security risk assessment (IRA), information security awareness (ISA) and information security culture (ISC). Second, the PLS-SEM testing results confirmed TMS is the antecedent variable motivating organization’s formation (ISP) and information control (ISC) approaches; these two types of organization control approaches increase IRA, ISA and ALI and then promote ISMP directly and indirectly. Third, the fsQCA testing results found two configurations that can achieve high ISMP and one driving path that leads to non-high ISMP. Originality/value This study extends knowledge by exploring configuration factors to improve or impede the performances of organizations’ ISM. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to explore the use of the fsQCA approach in information security studies, and the results not only revealed causal associations between single factors but also highlighted the critical role of configuration factors in developing organizational ISMP. This study calls attention to information security managers of an organization should highlight the combined effect between the factors and reasonably allocate organizational resources to achieve high ISMP.

Purpose This study aims to explore the emotion-based mediator of information security fatigue in the relationship between employees’ information security–related stress (SRS) and information security policy (ISP) compliance intention and the effects of psychological capital (PsyCap) on relieving SRS and promoting compliance. Design/methodology/approach The authors tested a series of hypotheses by applying partial least squares–based structural equation modeling to survey data from 488 employees in Chinese enterprises. Findings The results suggest that the relationship between SRS and ISP compliance intention is fully mediated by information security fatigue. Employees’ SRS promotes their information security fatigue, which reduces their intention to follow ISPs. In addition, employees with high PsyCap may experience low levels of SRS and information security fatigue, which promotes their willingness to comply with ISPs. Originality/value This study extends knowledge by introducing information security fatigue and PsyCap to the field of information security management, and it calls attention to the effects on information security behaviors of employee emotions and positive psychological resources in an organization. The authors reveal the emotion-based mediating effect of information security fatigue and the positive influence of PsyCap in information security management.

This study presents an empirical investigation of employees’ extra-role behaviour in the information security context based on person – organisation fit theory. The perspective of fit evaluates the differences and similarities between information security policy makers and practitioners to provide employees with an approach to decide whether and how to participate in the implementation of extra security actions. We developed a research model and then conducted a survey and PLS-SEM analysis to test the corresponding hypothesis. The results illustrate that perceived demand – ability fit, perceived need – supply fit, and perceived value fit are effective in motivating security commitment. The empirical evidence shows that security commitment is a partial mediator between complementary fits (demand-ability fit and need-supply fit) and participation intention and is a full mediator between supplementary fit (value fit) and participation intention. In addition, apathy reduces motivation to engage in extra-role behaviour, while value fit and security commitment eliminate such apathy.

Purpose Recently, the spread of malicious IT has been causing serious privacy threats to mobile device users, which hampers the efficient use of mobile devices for individual and business. To understand the privacy security assurance behavior of mobile device users, this study aims to develop a theoretical model based on technology threat avoidance theory (TTAT), to capture motivation factors in predicting mobile device user’s voluntary adoption of security defensive software. Design/methodology/approach A survey is conducted to validate the proposed research model. A total of 284 valid survey data are collected and partial least square (PLS)-based structural equation modeling is used to test the model. Findings Results highlight that both privacy concern and coping appraisal have a significant impact on the intention to adopt the security defensive software. Meanwhile, privacy security awareness is a crucial determinant to stimulate mobile device user’s threat and coping appraisal processes in the voluntary context. The results indicate that emotional-based coping appraisal of anticipated regret is also imperative to arouse personal intention to adopt the security tool. Practical implications This result should be of interest to practitioners. Information security awareness training and education programs should be developed in a variety of forms to intensify personal security knowledge and skills. Besides, emotion-based warnings can be designed to arouse users’ protection behavior. Originality/value This paper embeds TTAT theory within the mobile security context. The authors extent TTAT by taking anticipated regret into consideration to capture emotional-based coping appraisal, and information security awareness is employed as the antecedent factor. The extent offers a useful starting point for the further empirical study of emotion elements in the information security context.