In our modern age, a significant portion of our lives is spent on the internet and social networking platforms are providing a place for this new lifestyle. At first glance they appear to be harmless, but they carry numerous risks and potential threats.
Our research examines defensive behaviors on social networking sites, focusing on Facebook. We incorporate four theoretical frameworks—Privacy calculus theory, Institutional trust theory, Social cognitive theory of self-regulation, and Communication privacy management theory— to better understand user behavior in terms of online privacy and protection. We employ Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze the data and investigate the relationship between these factors. Additionally, we conduct qualitative interviews and consider the Five Big personality traits as control variables. According to our findings, aside the gender, from the five personality traits examined, only the agreeableness of individuals has a notable influence on their inclination to engage in defensive strategies online.
Results also reveal that the scenario of privacy paradox behavior observed among SNS users wherein they express concerns about their online peers and the platform itself yet demonstrate a willingness to continue using Facebook. Discussions and implications for research and practice are given in the end of the thesis.

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