Individual Agency in the Digital Age: Exploring Attention Stewardship, Privacy Literacy and Misinformation Susceptibility

Abstract

In an increasingly digital world, concerns about online privacy and the spread of misinformation have become central to public discourse. These challenges highlight the potential role of intentional attention management in shaping digital behaviors, such as enhancing privacy literacy and discerning misinformation. While much focus has been placed on the influence of technology companies and platform design, less is known about individual-agency, specifically how people manage their attention and engagement in digital spaces. This study explores whether a lack of attention stewardship, the ability to intentionally regulate focus and critically engage with digital content is linked to lower privacy literacy and increased susceptibility to misinformation. Rather than emphasizing external tools, the study focuses on the internal architecture of the individual’s ability to recalibrate and respond naturally to evolving challenges. The study is grounded in the Cognitive Versatility Theory (CVT) conceptual framework with a mixed method design. Linear regression analysis revealed that attention stewardship significantly predicted both misinformation susceptibility (R2 = .345, p < .001) and privacy literacy (R2 = .581, p < .001). Qualitative findings further supported the hypothesis, with participants demonstrating low cognitive agency and limited activation of self-awareness, emotional regulation, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving in simulated digital dilemmas. This research investigates the relationship to advance conceptual understanding on personal digital habits that may shape or influence broader societal issues.