E-waste information security protection motivation: the role of optimism bias
基于保护动机理论，通过348份问卷数据发现，乐观偏见会降低人们对未处理电子废弃物威胁的感知，从而削弱保护数据的意愿，为理解电子废弃物中的信息安全风险行为提供了新视角。
Purpose Electronic waste (e-waste) such as discarded computers and smartphones may contain large amounts of confidential data. Improper handling of remaining information in e-waste can, therefore, drive information security risk. This risk, however, is not always properly assessed and managed. The authors take the protection motivation theory (PMT) lens of analysis to understand intentions to protect one's discarded electronic assets. Design/methodology/approach By applying structural equation modeling, the authors empirically tested the proposed model with survey data from 348 e-waste handling users. Findings Results highlight that (1) protection intention is influenced by the perceived threat of discarding untreated e-waste (a threat appraisal) and self-efficacy to treat the discarded e-waste (a coping appraisal) and (2) optimism bias plays a dual-role in a direct and moderating way to reduce the perceived threat of untreated e-waste and its effect on protection intentions. Originality/value Results support the assertions and portray a unique theoretical account of the processes that underline people's motivation to protect their data when discarding e-waste. As such, this study explains a relatively understudied information security risk behavior in the e-waste context, points to the role of optimism bias in such decisions and highlights potential interventions that can help to alleviate this information security risk behavior.