Consumers' information control and privacy concerns in personalised social media advertising

This study investigated the relationships between popular social media platforms in Japan, degree of ad personalisation, consumers' perceptions, and behavioural responses to personalised advertising. It also examined associations between consumers' information control and privacy concerns with the perceptual and behavioural responses. A three (degrees of ad personalisation) x four (social media platforms) factorial experiment was conducted through the manipulation of tablet PC ads in Japan (n = 273). Personalised ads on Facebook yielded more negative brand attitudes than those on other platforms. Ad personalisation by age and location had a more positive effect on attitudes toward ads on Instagram (over other platforms) compared to ad personalisation combining age, location, and media browsing behaviour. Privacy concerns mediated the relationship between information control and attitudes toward personalised ads, brands, and purchase intent. Ad personalisation did not moderate the relationship between information control and privacy concerns.