Protecting personal data in the age of dominant tech giants
An empirical analysis of Uzbekistan
| Published date | 23.06.2026 |
| Journal Issue | Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026) Startups and Innovation Ecosystem |
| Pages | 1-8 |
| DOI | 10.5281/zenodo.20796300 |
| Section | Sharhlar va Tahlillar |
| Article language | uz |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
Abstract
This study examines the role of dominant technology platforms in shaping personal data exposure among digital users in Uzbekistan, investigating the effectiveness of existing regulatory frameworks and identifying key determinants of privacy-protective behavior. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed, combining a structured survey (n=412) with 24 semi-structured interviews. PLS-SEM was used for quantitative hypothesis testing, while thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. This study provides the first large-scale empirical analysis of data privacy behavior in the Central Asian context and offers actionable policy recommendations for regulators and platform operators.
Keywords
References
[1] Acquisti, A., Brandimarte, L., and Loewenstein, G. (2022). Secrets and likes: The drive for
privacy and the difficulty of achieving it in the digital age. Journal of Consumer
Psychology, 32(1), 10-29.
[2] Agency for Development of the Information Society of Uzbekistan. (2024). ICT sector
indicators 2024. Tashkent: ADИС.
[3] Degeling, M., Utz, C., Lentzsch, C., Hosseini, H., Schaub, F., and Holz, T. (2019). We value
your privacy... now take some cookies: Measuring the GDPR's impact on web privacy.
Proceedings of NDSS 2019.
[4] Diakopoulos, N., and Koliska, M. (2017). Algorithmic transparency in the news media.
Digital Journalism, 5(7), 809-828.
[5] Dinev, T., and Hart, P. (2006). An extended privacy calculus model for e-commerce
transactions. Information Systems Research, 17(1), 61-80.
[6] Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., and Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least
squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). SAGE.
[7] International Data Corporation. (2025). Global datasphere report 2025: Data creation and
consumption trends. IDC.
[8] Linden, T., Khandelwal, R., Harkous, H., and Fawaz, K. (2020). The privacy policy landscape
after the GDPR. Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies, 2020(1), 47-64.
[9] McKnight, D. H., and Chervany, N. L. (2002). What trust means in e-commerce customer
relationships. International Journal of Electronic Commerce, 6(2), 35-59.
[10] Presidential Decree No. PF-6079. (2020, October 5). Digital Uzbekistan 2030 strategy.
Republic of Uzbekistan.
[11] Presidential Decree No. PQ-436. (2022, December 2). Green Economy Transition Strategy
until 2030. Republic of Uzbekistan.[12] Smith, H. J., Dinev, T., and Xu, H. (2011). Information privacy research: An
interdisciplinary review. MIS Quarterly, 35(4), 989-1016.
[13] Westin, A. F. (2019). Privacy and freedom (reissued ed.). Ig Publishing.
[14] World Bank. (2022). Country climate and development report: Uzbekistan. World Bank
Group.
[15] World Economic Forum. (2023). Future of jobs report 2023. WEF.
[16] Yusupova, N., and Ergashev, B. (2024). Digital rights enforcement in transitional
economies: A case study of Uzbekistan's 2019 Personal Data Law. Central Asian Law
Review, 3(1), 45-67.
[17] Zuboff, S. (2019). The age of surveillance capitalism: The fight for a human future at the
new frontier of power. PublicAffairs.
O'zbekcha
Русский