The roles of privacy, security, and dissatisfaction in affecting switching intention on messenger applications

The emergence of privacy issues in messenger applications influences people to switch to an alternative application. This research investigates the users' intention to switch from the old messenger application to the new one using push, pull, and mooring factors. This study applies a quantitative approach by distributing online questionnaires. The data of 1,022 respondents were processed and analyzed by the Covariance Based Structural Equation Model. The study found that among the three push factors, namely perceived privacy risk, dissatisfaction, and perceived security risk, only dissatisfaction significantly influences switching intentions. Dissatisfaction was also significant as a mediator between perceived privacy and security risks. Pull factors of network externalities, subjective norms, and alternatives attractiveness significantly influence switching intention. As mooring factors, inertia, affective commitment, and habit influenced switching intention. Findings from this study indicate that the switching intention variable has a strong R square of 67.5%. This research contributes to the literature regarding the impact of privacy and security on the intention to switch messenger applications. This research is expected to benefit industry players to implement appropriate features, keep current users, and attract new users based on alternative attractiveness factors.