Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://doi.org/10.21256/zhaw-22620
Publication type: Article in scientific journal
Type of review: Peer review (publication)
Title: Making public concerns tangible : an empirical study of German and UK citizens’ perception of data protection and data security
Authors: Pleger, Lyn E.
Guirguis, Katharina
Mertes, Alexander
et. al: No
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830
10.21256/zhaw-22620
Published in: Computers in Human Behavior
Volume(Issue): 122
Issue: 106830
Issue Date: 17-Apr-2021
Publisher / Ed. Institution: Elsevier
ISSN: 0747-5632
Language: English
Subjects: Germany; UK; Data protection; Data security
Subject (DDC): 005: Computer programming, programs and data
350: Public administration
Abstract: Digitisation processes in the public sector have led to an increase in innovative approaches for better service delivery using information and communication technology. Citizens, however, often have reservations towards e-government efforts due to concerns regarding data protection (DP) and data security (DS). This article is based on a mixed-methods design consisting of a media analysis and an online survey of 1000 respondents from the UK and Germany, which investigates the conception of DP and DS from the citizens’ point of view. Results demonstrate that citizens do not fully understand the terminology used in newspaper articles concerning DP and DS. Moreover, findings show that DP and DS are of great importance to citizens. However, the perceived relevance of DP and DS varies between services, being strongest for online banking. Compared to the German citizens surveyed, the UK citizens displayed greater concerns about disclosing personal data online. Despite some differences, however, findings across both samples indicate a common lack of understanding of the two concepts DP and DS. The resulting citizen concept of DP and DS can help to mediate between politics, technology and the public in the discourse of e-government initiatives and the requirements for DP and DS. We argue that citizens’ understanding of DP and DS is a prerequisite for governments to adequately address citizens’ concerns regarding e-government initiatives.
URI: https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/22620
Fulltext version: Published version
License (according to publishing contract): CC BY 4.0: Attribution 4.0 International
Departement: School of Management and Law
Organisational Unit: Institute of Public Management (IVM)
Appears in collections:Publikationen School of Management and Law

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Pleger, L. E., Guirguis, K., & Mertes, A. (2021). Making public concerns tangible : an empirical study of German and UK citizens’ perception of data protection and data security. Computers in Human Behavior, 122(106830). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830
Pleger, L.E., Guirguis, K. and Mertes, A. (2021) ‘Making public concerns tangible : an empirical study of German and UK citizens’ perception of data protection and data security’, Computers in Human Behavior, 122(106830). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830.
L. E. Pleger, K. Guirguis, and A. Mertes, “Making public concerns tangible : an empirical study of German and UK citizens’ perception of data protection and data security,” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 122, no. 106830, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830.
PLEGER, Lyn E., Katharina GUIRGUIS und Alexander MERTES, 2021. Making public concerns tangible : an empirical study of German and UK citizens’ perception of data protection and data security. Computers in Human Behavior. 17 April 2021. Bd. 122, Nr. 106830. DOI 10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830
Pleger, Lyn E., Katharina Guirguis, and Alexander Mertes. 2021. “Making Public Concerns Tangible : An Empirical Study of German and UK Citizens’ Perception of Data Protection and Data Security.” Computers in Human Behavior 122 (106830). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830.
Pleger, Lyn E., et al. “Making Public Concerns Tangible : An Empirical Study of German and UK Citizens’ Perception of Data Protection and Data Security.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 122, no. 106830, Apr. 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106830.


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