Investigation of digital safety competencies and online risk taking propensity of university students

Internet technologies, which provide indispensable facilities in every aspect of life, bring with them various risks affecting the well-being of individuals. As the duration of usage of these technologies and number of users increased, how digital security should be ensured and what variables should be examined in this subject has been the subject of scientific research. This study aims to examine the extent to which current online risk-taking propensity of university students predicts their prior online risk-taking propensities and digital safety self-efficacy levels. Additionally, this study investigates the relations between current online risk-taking propensity and digital safety self-efficacy levels of university students in terms of various demographics. The study was designed with cross sectional survey designs. The required data were collected from 1601 university students studying at different state universities in Eskişehir, Turkey during 2017-2019 academic years. Within the scope of the study, valid and reliable Digital Safety Self-Efficacy and Online Risk-Taking Propensity scales were developed. These scales were also used as the data collection tools with demographic data form. Descriptive statistics and relational data analysis techniques were applied in order to anaylze the collected data. The results concluded that the level of digital safety self-efficacy of university students was high, while their online risk-taking propensities were low. Besides, there were statistically significant differences on safety levels of digital applications and commercial risks in terms of gender differences, frequency of internet use, and age groups. Lastly, the results indicated that students' prior online risk-taking propensities predicted their current online risk-taking propensity to some extent. Keywords: Digital Safety, Online Risks, Online Risk-Taking Propensity, University Students