Blinking Back at Big Brother: Examining Threat Avoidance in the Face of Panoptic Surveillance

Abstract

This study applies Technology Threat Avoidance Theory (TTAT) to examine how panoptic surveillance in organizations induces avoidance intentions among professionals, with responses varying by occupational background. By employing an online 2x2 between-subjects factorial design, this study manipulated two conditions: the nature of the surveillance technology threat (panoptic vs. non-panoptic) and the efficacy of threat protection (high vs. low). This approach facilitated robust data collection on avoidance intention, the dependent variable, from 173 information technology professionals and 65 finance professionals, who were randomly allocated to distinct experimental conditions. This study found a strong primary effect (H1), showing that professionals across occupational backgrounds exhibit significantly higher avoidance intentions when faced with complex panopticon surveillance than with simpler surveillance methods. However, findings regarding the role of perceived protection effectiveness remain mixed, suggesting limitations in complex work environments. The originality of this study lies in its exploration of how technology design configurations in management control affect employees' perceptions, particularly on privacy, and its expansion of technology threat avoidance theory into the field of business. These findings provide preliminary evidence regarding the impact of surveillance on perceptions, while the mixed moderation results open up opportunities for further exploration in tailoring electronic surveillance.