Are people who are on social networks entitled to privacy? | Acemyhomework Writers
Social Networks and Privacy
Social networks are increasingly being used by several people across the globe. Facebook is one of these social networks that has enabled people to publish information concerning their lives and establish a connection with others (Powale et al. 11). There are certain types of information in these social networks that should not be made public and calls for the need of privacy for social networking and confidential organizational activities. It is better if the users are guaranteed security regarding their details. The sites for social networks have varying levels of security offered to their users, however, there has been recent evidence pointing to the risks pertaining to privacy and security on social networking sites (Hajli et al. 111). It is therefore imperative that Facebook users get entitled to privacy.
Firstly, a person’ sensitive information should not be leaked through Facebook. If the person did not have any intention of making his or her details public, then they should be secured. Mischievous characters can use such sensitive information to their advantage, and this results in loss of trust and public confidence on the social network (Obar and Anne 17). For example, there are hackers who prowl the networking site to get victims who they trick through shortened URLs. An individual’s email address can be obtained from the unsecured site and other sensitive details that would enable identity thieves to gain access to all personal information, where they can manipulate to do more harm to the victims.
Secondly, Facebook has specific features that require user participation and these features are vulnerable to a privacy breach. The users should be guaranteed privacy while using Facebook because the user participation features like messages, photos, invitations and applications of open platforms enable people to put their personal information and details for better interaction and networking (Bartsch et al. 147). It would be more prudent if such details are protected so that anyone who is not allowed by the privacy settings should not gain access. In the recent past, critics have argued that some Facebook frameworks are not secure, for example, the third party platform application that gave its developers more access to personal information including pictures and addresses. Such extra details were not necessary for the running of the app, but it posed a privacy threat to the users.
Facebook users tend to create public and semi-public profiles that enable them to engage with others and share their interests. When these users post private and sensitive information, they are opened to public scrutiny and this has the possibility of creating records that will have a permanent status (Powale et al. 16). In future, such records might bear negative effects on the users, including activities like online stalking, cyber harassment, and identity theft. These activities are not desirable as their end result will be detrimental, prompting the need for privacy among the users of Facebook and other social sites.
Privacy concern is an important aspect of social networking. The users in most cases do not personally know each other and yet they disclose information that is identifiable about themselves to these people through Facebook. Research also indicates that awareness levels among the users concerning privacy issues and protection are low (Hajli et al. 119), and this worsens the situation further. The studies further demonstrate that the users are aware of the possible consequences of disclosing personal information but they are comfortable when they provide such personal information. Other Facebook users feel that the risks they face while online are not serious and cannot result in dire consequences, making them believe naively that the safety of online communities is guaranteed (Obar and Anne 21).
Privacy entitlement to Facebook members should be a guarantee. Users usually generate a lot of data concerning them while using the site, data that can enable third parties to generate a picture of the behavior of particular users through electronic footprints. Users end up not knowing the kind of data the third parties are collecting about them, the quantity, the place where it is done, the time it takes and the intention behind it. This poses a threat and calls for the privacy entitlement among users.
Dunbar, in his article, maintains that one can have up to 150 effective friends on Facebook (Dunbar 2). Through his research, this number proves to be enough in helping one achieve better social interactions through the social network. The researcher further indicates that Facebook is an electronic village that aids in enhancing continuity of interconnectedness among people across the globe (Dunbar 4). It is therefore imperative that privacy is guaranteed for the users so that more confidence can be built on the social network.
Taffy, in her article, narrates her formative life experiences with the mean girls. Earlier in school, she could not belong to any popular groups and some girls treated her unfairly (Taffy 1). Later on, while in her thirties, she realizes through Facebook, that most of the ladies who were mean to her were not doing quite well. It is through this social networking interaction site that Taffy has become aware of the actual life statuses of her friends (Taffy 2). One can thus argue that privacy entitlement can sometimes imply a personal initiative that an individual takes to control what they post on Facebook. However, it is still right that the users have privacy on their online pages so that their details do not reach the unwanted and malicious characters.
Due to the increased global awareness of social networking sites (SNS), millions of people have become participants in various sites like Facebook. The site offers members the chance to publish multimedia content concerning themselves, leading to the intensive sharing of information and this raises concern about privacy (Hajli et al. 120). The platform that allows members to manipulate their privacy setting is crucial in this social site and that is why it is designed in such a manner to enhance user protection and privacy (Bartsch et al. 152). If this was not necessary, then the Facebook could have avoided such platforms for privacy settings.
Given the limited attention that Facebook and other technology companies place on protecting the privacy of their users, it is interesting to ask why users are so reluctant to take real action to protect their data. The reasons for this paradox are manifold. This is partly because the concern expressed by people about their private lives is an abstract feeling that they have difficulty expressing and characterizing. As a result, it is difficult to give an absolute value to privacy and to assess in real terms the potential harms that could be inflicted if privacy is violated.
Even if users are more concerned about their privacy, they often do not have the expertise or knowledge to control their privacy or the potential consequences of violating this privacy. Even when customers know the privacy settings on Facebook, a study has shown that people’s sharing behavior is not related to their privacy concerns or their knowledge or use of privacy settings on Facebook.
Jessica Helfand in her essay describes that there is a parallel universe existing between the lines defining privacy and public status on Facebook. The social network site provides users with pages having an amalgamation of various contents which are held together by a person’s own selection process (Helfand 2). Since many people do not care about privacy, they use Facebook in some ways that appear self-destructive. Jessica asserts that there is more consciousness in the control mechanism when Facebook users post their images online for others to see and comment. She gives examples of some self-destructive tendencies like teenagers posting lap dance videos, which according to her, are manifestations of ramifications of excessive self-publishing (Helfand 3).
The author further reasons that there should be some element of privacy because whatever one posts about themselves on Facebook goes way beyond and gives a description of who and what they are. With the increased use of Facebook, it has become difficult to judge what is appropriate and what is not, what should be seen and that which should be hidden (Helfand 4). Despite the people’s general perspective of Facebook use as seamless, effective and full of fun, there should be caution and privacy considerations as it gives a public trajectory about ourselves.
It is evident from “The Social Network” film that Facebook has become the most popular website for social networking in the world. The film portrays Mark as a person with very poor social skills and yet he created the greatest social networking site (“The Social Network”). People using this site deserve privacy entitlement as Facebook reduces their lives into databases. The movie illustrates the great success of Facebook and its achievement of interconnectivity.
The story of the film demonstrates the masterpiece of Mark that eventually led to the establishment of a social site, able to connect millions of people across the globe. Something that started on a small scale in Harvard University became a great success in the face of the world (“The Social Network”). With the story unfolding, the use of Facebook has gained much recognition and embracement, thanks to Mark Zuckerberg, calling for the need to initiate implementations that are geared toward conferring user privacy and security gave the huge usage across the world.
In reality, Facebook does not mark the end of a private life, but rather the beginning of a new sociability geared toward taking a center stage. When one puts their privacy on the internet, It gives a reflection of staying open and being transparent (Hajli et al. 120). Thus there is no end to privacy but a movement within the limits of the public and the private. Everyone chooses the limits of his or her private sphere together with the public sphere: to reveal or not, to share or not, to commit or not. Each choice has advantages and risks, between which one should seek a balance.
Regarding privacy, Facebook released for the first time, the number of requests for access to data from its users by states, as it had promised to do after the major cases on privacy threats. Like other social networking sites like Google and Twitter, Facebook published a table showing the number of requests, country by country, the number of users involved and the percentage of requests (Hajli et al. 123). The data released resulted in the communication across the social network. The country that made the most requests was the United States followed by France. These requests indicate that there is the need for Facebook to initiate privacy implementation as many users have noticed serious breach cases and expressed their concern to the social site.
It is therefore important for users to be guaranteed for privacy as they interact through these sites and increase their experiences and connections. However, it is upon the users to select what they post online and make accessible for members of the social network, thus, privacy should start with the users themselves before it becomes an issue.
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Are people who are on social networks entitled to privacy? | Acemyhomework Writers
