Maria Luisa Carlos | Cristina delos Santos | Ramon Olaez III | Winchell Palomeno |
November 26, 2025
CEIT
Social media connects people in today’s society; however, its large user base is vulnerable to security threats. This study explores the relationship between perceived privacy risks, awareness, and protection behavior. A face-to-face survey conducted in March 2023 examined socio-demographics, social media use, risk perception, privacy awareness, and protection behaviors. Using Pearson correlation, the study found a strong link between perceived risk and protective actions, as well as between privacy awareness and behavior. Among 332 stratified random participants, most were female students aged 20–22. The results suggest that respondents are highly aware of privacy risks and actively take steps to protect their personal data. These findings highlight the need for educational institutions to implement social media privacy awareness training programs to reinforce safe practices and safeguard student information online.