Does More Accessibility Lead to More Disclosure? Exploring the Influence of Information Accessibility on Self-Disclosure in Online Social Networks

Purpose – Given the importance of online social network (OSN) media features, many studies have focused on how different types of OSNs with various media features influence users’ usage and engagement. However, a recent literature review indicates that few empirical studies have considered how different types of OSNs with different information-accessibility levels influence users’ beliefs and self-disclosure. By comparing two OSN platforms (OSNs with high-level information accessibility versus OSNs with low-level information accessibility), this study addresses this opportunity by investigating the differential impacts of the two platforms on individuals’ psychological cognition — particularly users’ social exchange beliefs — and explaining how these beliefs translate into OSN self-disclosure. Design/methodology/approach – This study used a factorial design approach in an experimental setting to examine how different levels of information accessibility (high versus low), influence the social exchange beliefs (i.e., perceived social-capital bridging, perceived social-capital bonding, and perceived privacy risks) of OSN users and subsequently influence OSN self-disclosure. Findings – The results show that users on OSNs with high-level information accessibility express significantly higher perceived social-capital bridging and perceived privacy risks than users on OSNs with low-level information accessibility. However, users on OSNs with low-level information accessibility express higher social bonding beliefs than users on OSNs with high-level information accessibility, indicating that there are different effect mechanisms toward OSN self-disclosure. Originality/value – The focus of this research helps unveil the complex relationships between OSN design features (e.g., information accessibility), psychological cognition (e.g., social-capital bridging, social-capital bonding, privacy risks), and OSN self-disclosure. First, it clarifies the relationship between information accessibility and self-disclosure by examining the mediating effect of three core social exchange beliefs. Second, it uncovers the distinct effects of high-level information-accessible OSNs and low-level information-accessible OSNs on OSN self-disclosure