Paper Number
ECIS2026-1918
Paper Type
CRP
Abstract
Online peer support communities help patients access social support and empowerment, yet these public spaces expose personal information and emotions, raising questions about how members protect their privacy and vulnerability. Drawing on communication privacy management theory, we develop an individual-level model of self-disclosure based on qualitative data from 11 interviews and public trace data from two Facebook support groups. We argue that individuals experience tension as they balance privacy and disclosure, resolving it through boundary management configurations of audience, information, and emotions, which is enacted through digital communication. Configuring boundary management is guided by rules individuals build while engaging in the community, which consist of an assessment of contextual appropriateness, risk–benefit trade-offs, and emotional need. Self-disclosure is also reciprocal and social when publicly visible, creating a collective influence on the development of boundary management rules. This research contributes to understanding personal information and emotional sharing, patient management of medical information, and privacy-protection practices in social media.
Recommended Citation
Lasfer, Assia, "To Tell Or Not To Tell? Managing Self-Disclosure Boundaries In Online Health Communities" (2026). ECIS 2026 Proceedings. 9.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/ecis2026/hit/hit/9
To Tell Or Not To Tell? Managing Self-Disclosure Boundaries In Online Health Communities
Online peer support communities help patients access social support and empowerment, yet these public spaces expose personal information and emotions, raising questions about how members protect their privacy and vulnerability. Drawing on communication privacy management theory, we develop an individual-level model of self-disclosure based on qualitative data from 11 interviews and public trace data from two Facebook support groups. We argue that individuals experience tension as they balance privacy and disclosure, resolving it through boundary management configurations of audience, information, and emotions, which is enacted through digital communication. Configuring boundary management is guided by rules individuals build while engaging in the community, which consist of an assessment of contextual appropriateness, risk–benefit trade-offs, and emotional need. Self-disclosure is also reciprocal and social when publicly visible, creating a collective influence on the development of boundary management rules. This research contributes to understanding personal information and emotional sharing, patient management of medical information, and privacy-protection practices in social media.