Balancing Consumer Needs, Privacy Rights and Company Practices in Online Advertising, Media Sharing, and Age Assurance

Abstract

Digital privacy challenges have become increasingly complex as social platforms collect extensive personal data, concerns about child safety have called for more robust safeguards, and media sharing practices blur the boundaries of consent. This dissertation explores privacy through three interconnected projects that focus on online behaviors: data sharing in advertising, photo sharing norms, and age assurance mechanisms. Privacy is framed as a boundary regulation process that shapes how individuals navigate their personal, interpersonal, and commercial lives. The first project investigates pre-teens' and teenagers' mental models regarding data visibility on social platforms. The second project addresses privacy concerns related to age verification, emphasizing user preferences for different assurance methods. The final study examines societal norms around photo sharing. Key findings reveal that stringent attitudes towards age assurance on dating apps and gambling websites are consistent around the world. Furthermore, there are strong norms against sharing photos without consent, particularly on large, anonymous platforms.