Tools
Tools
Singh, Harshdeep (2025) Balancing Personalization and Privacy: Exploring Generation Z’s Perspective on the Personalization-Privacy Paradox in India. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.
Preview |
PDF (Master of Science)
Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
In the era of hyper-personalized digital marketing, the tension between personalization and data privacy has emerged as a defining paradox especially among the Generation Z consumers who are digitally savvy and privacy conscious at the same time. While there is existing literature around personalization-privacy paradox but it remains dominated in western-centric perspectives and with quantitative approach. This dissertation pays attention to these limitations and adopts a qualitative approach that investigates how the Generation Z consumers in India evaluates the trade-offs between digital personalization and data privacy.
This study is guided by Privacy Calculus Theory which says that individuals weigh perceived benefits against the perceived risks when they are disclosing their personal information, this study adopts an interpretivist, inductive research design. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indian Generation Z participants who are self-identified actively engages with personalized content in many digital platforms.
Findings revels that personalization is mostly seen as useful, convenient, time saving with highlighting its practicality with no emotional satisfaction and the data sharing decisions are conditional and context driven. Participants expressed their views around discomfort because of opaque data practices, surveillance and a lack of meaningful control. Trust was found to be very fragile and its highly dependent on the perceived transparency and ethical data practices. Moreover, participants highlighted the importance of consent, honestly and user empowerment in determining their engagement with personalization.
This research will contribute to the growing body of literature on digital consumer behaviour by contextualizing the privacy calculus theory into a rapidly digitalizing, non-western market. It highlights the psychological and cultural complexities which crafts the privacy attitude among the Indian Generation Z users. Ethical personalization supported by transparency, control and fairness comes out to be critical requirements for maintaining digital trust and sustaining long term consumer engagement in rapidly digitalizing economies like India.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Supervisors: | Name Email Hurley, David UNSPECIFIED |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing > Consumer Behaviour K Law > KDK Republic of Ireland > Data Protection H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > Marketing Z Bibliography. Library Science. Information Resources > ZA Information resources > ZA4150 Computer Network Resources > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks T Technology > TK Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering > Telecommunications > The Internet > World Wide Web > Websites > Online social networks |
| Divisions: | School of Business (- 2025) > Master of Science in Marketing |
| Depositing User: | Ciara O'Brien |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2026 12:40 |
| Last Modified: | 14 Feb 2026 12:40 |
| URI: | https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/9151 |
Actions (login required)
 |
View Item |