| This study investigated the relationship between concerns about online confidentiality as expressed by e-learning Internet users, and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, location of Internet use, purpose of Internet use, and the possible impact of these variables on Internet users' online confidentiality concerns.;This study used data from the CPS December 1998: Internet and Computer Use Supplement, conducted as a supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce. The sample size for this study was 18,553 (representing a population of approximately 40,562,610 Internet users). The researcher identified 17 variables, including four demographic variables, three socioeconomic variables, nine Internet use variables, and one variable that indicated Internet users' online confidentiality concerns. Cross-tabulation and Chi-square tests were used to study the relationships between these variables and Internet users' online confidentiality concerns. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the possible impact of these variables on Internet users' concerns about online confidentiality.;Study findings indicated that, in general, more than four-fifths of the e-learning Internet users in this study were "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned" about confidentiality on the Internet. More specifically: (1) Age, gender, marital status, race, household income, educational level, and occupation were significantly related to e-learning Internet users' concerns about online confidentiality; (2) locations of Internet use were associated with e-learning Internet users' online confidentiality concerns; (3) no practical significance was found between the levels of online confidentiality concerns expressed by e-learning Internet users and those expressed by non-e-learning Internet users; and (4) the characteristics of marital status, race, educational level, household income, and location of Internet use were more likely to be associated with Internet users' online confidentiality concerns.;Based on research findings and conclusions, recommendations were made for public policymakers, corporate e-learning management, commercial e-learning providers, and research students. |
