The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives in an unprecedented way. The most notable and urgent requirement to combat the epidemic was to transform the way human interacts with each other. The adherence to maintaining social distance has given an upsurge to the increased usage of mobile app users. This change in human interaction for fulling their basic to social to work needs through the intervention of app usage has led to privacy concerns by users. By keeping in view the changing dynamics of the way society works, this study is an endeavor to investigate gender differences of ad intrusive and privacy concerns on app usage behavior. Employing a quantitative research design, 371 respondents were surveyed using through an online structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results suggest that advertising intrusiveness and privacy concerns are significant in determining the consumer’s attitude toward App usage, and a positive attitude toward App usage results in App usage behavior. However, gender’s moderating role in attitude toward app usage and app usage behavior is insignificant for this study. The study provides a more comprehensive understanding and complements prior insights on ads intrusiveness and privacy concerns toward app usage.

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PurposeThe aim of the present study is twofold. First is investigating the factors associated with the effectiveness of Facebook advertising and its resultant impact on behavioral and attitudinal loyalty. The second is testing the moderating impact of control over ads and brand authenticity.Design/methodology/approachThis study is conducted by adopting the cross-sectional data collection technique, two samples with 396 and 482 sample sizes were collected at different points in time. Partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique, using Smart PLS 3.0 software, was applied to analyze the data.FindingsThe results show that the moderating effect of behavioral control on the relationship between advertising intrusive and attitude towards Facebook advertising was insignificant for both samples. Brand authenticity was significant in moderating the relationship between an individual's attitude towards Facebook advertising and behavior towards the brand for sample 1 and was insignificant for sample 2. Behaving towards brands resulted in attitudinal and behavioral loyalty intentions of individuals for both samples.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the body of knowledge in four ways besides contextual contribution. First, it investigated the moderating influence of perceived behavioral control on the relationship between advertising intrusiveness and attitude towards Facebook advertising. Second, this study also studied the relationship between attitude towards Facebook advertising and behavior towards the brand, moderated by brand authenticity. Third, this study extended the Facebook advertising Framework to behavioral and attitudinal loyalty. Fourth, this study methodologically contributes by conducting a two-sample study to enhance the generalizability.