Research Article

Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills

Volume: 16 Number: 2 June 24, 2026
TR EN

Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills

Abstract

This study aims to examine how adolescents’ social media privacy protection skills differ across demographic, environmental, interactive, and usage-purpose–related dimensions that shape their digital behaviour, and how these skills relate to their social media usage purposes and online friend profiles. A large-scale sample of 12,194 adolescents aged 10–18, reached through a convenience sampling approach via online data collection across 81 provinces in Türkiye, participated in the study (5,275 secondary school and 6,919 high school). Data were collected using the validated Social Media Privacy Protection Skills Scale. Descriptive statistics, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine how adolescents’ demographics and online behaviors affect their privacy protection skills. Female, older, and urban adolescents demonstrated higher privacy protection skills than their male, younger, and rural peers. More daily social media use and a higher number of accounts were associated with lower skill levels. Adolescents who used social media for information acquisition, agenda following, or academic purposes, and those who included family members in their friend lists, showed stronger privacy protection skills. In contrast, entertainment, visibility, and economic-oriented use, as well as adding unfamiliar individuals to friend lists, were linked to weaker skills. The findings show that adolescents’ privacy protection skills on social media vary significantly across demographic, behavioural, and usage-related factors. These results highlight the need for structured and developmentally appropriate digital privacy education beginning in early adolescence and supported by family and peer engagement. Integrating such programs into school curricula and everyday digital practices may strengthen adolescents’ digital literacy, awareness, and self-regulation skills, enabling safer and more responsible social media use. Because visibility-driven and popular-culture-oriented engagement is associated with lower privacy skills, encouraging value-based rather than popularity-driven digital behaviour is essential for fostering safer online practices.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research did not receive support from any institution, organization, or funding agency

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Trakya University Social and Human Sciences Research Ethics Committee with the decision numbered 02/11, dated 23 February 2022.

Thanks

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all teachers affiliated with the Ministry of National Education who supported the data collection process involving students from all 81 provinces of Türkiye. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Nilgün Tosun for her invaluable support and contributions in obtaining the ethical approval from the Trakya University Social and Human Sciences Research Ethics Committee, which made this study possible.

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Out-of-School Learning, Lifelong learning, Multicultural Education, Other Fields of Education (Other), Educational Technology and Computing

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 24, 2026

Submission Date

November 25, 2025

Acceptance Date

May 8, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 16 Number: 2

APA
Bayzan, Ş. (2026). Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, 16(2), 629-656. https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1830085
AMA
1.Bayzan Ş. Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills. AJESI. 2026;16(2):629-656. doi:10.18039/ajesi.1830085
Chicago
Bayzan, Şahin. 2026. “Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills”. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International 16 (2): 629-56. https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1830085.
EndNote
Bayzan Ş (June 1, 2026) Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International 16 2 629–656.
IEEE
[1]Ş. Bayzan, “Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills”, AJESI, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 629–656, June 2026, doi: 10.18039/ajesi.1830085.
ISNAD
Bayzan, Şahin. “Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills”. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International 16/2 (June 1, 2026): 629-656. https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1830085.
JAMA
1.Bayzan Ş. Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills. AJESI. 2026;16:629–656.
MLA
Bayzan, Şahin. “Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills”. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, vol. 16, no. 2, June 2026, pp. 629-56, doi:10.18039/ajesi.1830085.
Vancouver
1.Şahin Bayzan. Digital Footprints in Adolescence: Environmental, Interactive, and Cognitive Determinants of Social Media Privacy Protection Skills. AJESI. 2026 Jun. 1;16(2):629-56. doi:10.18039/ajesi.1830085