Forecasting the continuance intention of social networking sites: Assessing privacy risk and usefulness of technology

Abstract

Social networking sites (SNS) have become to date one of the most important technological tools in the world. To explore the key factors affecting users\' continuance intention of using SNS, this study applies the positive mood theory to explain why users continue to use SNS. The empirical results find that fear of missing out (FoMO) and enjoyment are both positively related to continuance intention, whereas negative affect is negatively related to continuance intention. Perceived usefulness positively moderates the relationship between enjoyment and continuance intention and that between negative affect and continuance intention. Perceived information privacy risk positively moderates the relationship between FoMO and continuance intention. This study contributes to the literature by applying the positive mood theory to explore the determinants of users\' continuance intention of using SNS. We also provide managerial implications and research limitations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc All rights reserved.