From Interpersonal Privacy to Human-Technological Privacy: Communication Privacy Management Theory Revisited

Purpose: Communication privacy management (CPM) theory is a major theory explaining the tensions between disclosing and concealing private information in interpersonal communication. By considering differences in interpersonal and humantechnology information disclosure and drawing on existing work related to privacy and technology, this article presents CPM theory as a broad theoretical framework for Method: This research employed a speculative theoretical approach by drawing on existing literature and synthesizing it to both apply and extend CPM theory's propositions to human-technology privacy boundary management. Results: CPM theory can be applied to understand the dynamics of humantechnology information disclosure and should incorporate technological literacy as a key consideration in human-technology privacy boundary management. Legal ties characterize human-technology privacy boundary coordination instead of social ties. Additionally, in human-technology information disclosure contexts, CPM theory should provide guidance regarding managing third parties that may gain access to information. Conclusion: CPM theory is the most comprehensive framework for how individuals manage privacy boundaries, be it in interpersonal or human-technology contexts. By considering technology as a property of technological actors instead of an actor itself, CPM theory in human-technology contexts becomes a flexible theoretical framework for understanding information disclosure and privacy boundary management, both intelligence, Internet of Things) and future technologies.