Self-Disclosure and Digital Privacy Awareness and Knowledge among University Students in Malaysia

In the digital era, social media has become an integral communication tool, particularly for university students who frequently engage in high levels of self-disclosure. While social media offers numerous benefits, it also presents significant concerns about digital privacy, as students often share personal information without fully understanding the associated risks. This study investigates self-disclosure behaviors and evaluates digital privacy awareness among students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A quantitative approach through the distribution of questionnaires was used to obtain responses from 123 students at UKM. The findings reveal that although 66.7% of respondents frequently use their real names and profile pictures on social media, only a small fraction share highly sensitive information, such as their residential address (17.1%) or phone numbers (16.3%). The study further indicates that while 85% of students are aware of basic privacy threats like phishing and 78% understand the risks of identity theft, awareness of more advanced threats remains limited. Only 45% of respondents are familiar with data mining techniques, and 40% are aware of algorithmic profiling, highlighting significant gaps in students’ understanding of how their personal data can be exploited. These results demonstrate the urgent need for educational initiatives to strengthen digital privacy literacy and promote more effective protective behaviors. This study contributes to digital sociology by providing insights into students’ privacy practices and highlighting the need for more comprehensive digital privacy education.