Social Networks and Privacy: A brief Introduction
This blog is a project for Study Unit DGA3008, University of Malta
Social Networks
The technological advancements we have seen in the past, have created a solid foundation for the initiation of today’s social networking platforms. This development of social networks gives the individual the opportunity to use the internet as a way of communication which was not possible in the past. The new way of communication came about from a shift in the use of the Internet, which created a lot of new possibilities. Since these new possibilities were presenting much quicker and better ways of communication, they were met by mass adoption from the people who had access to them. This eventually points out to a major evolution in human social interaction. (Weaver & Morrison, 2008)
Social networking, involves the use of the internet to connect with other people. The connections developed on the platforms are usually based on similar interests or values. Although the most popular use of social networks is to connect with family, friends and acquaintances, the platforms might also be used to connect to strangers. An example of the connection with strangers would be the use of dating applications such as Tinder and Grindr. These applications offer an online interaction based entirely on the physical looks of the persons, and what these persons might have written about themselves.
Other instances where an online interaction with strangers might take place, are when individuals want to do collaborations with people they don’t know. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram offer businesses the opportunity to advertise their products or services specifically to their target audience. With businesses having an online presence, it has become easier for the clients to build an online relationship with the businesses thus creating a more personalized experience.
The relationship and connections created online can be compared to real life connections. Although it might seem that a user is having a one-to-one interaction, it becomes more of a network of connections where information can be spread around with different people.
Privacy
Although social networks are constantly offering us new experiences which are hard to say not to, as any other thing, they bring with them certain disadvantages. In the past years the use of social networks has become more popular than ever and with that, privacy and safety concerns of users have also increased remarkably. The connections built on social networks, can leave the users vulnerable. This is because for a user to have a presence online, an amount of personal data might have to be shared.
While setting up an account on a social networking platform, the user will have to enter their details. Now one might think that by doing so, nothing wrong can happen. Another instance where personal information might be shared is during private conversations on platforms such as Messenger or within a community of people with shared interests. Although this sharing of personal information might seem to be completely safe it is a possibility that this information might fall into the wrong hands. The consequences of such an action, can be very damaging to the victim.
Although it might seem superficial that people would want to hack data from social network accounts, according to the Pew Trust, 13% of American people end up with the social network accounts hacked by users who are unauthorized (Tulane University, 2020). Social networking platforms usually store big amounts of personal data and when this is met with a limited oversight from authorities, these platforms become an easy target for people looking to steal information.
In conclusion, while the growing number of social networking platforms increase and new experiences are constantly presenting themselves to us, it is always a good idea to keep privacy in mind while being active on these platforms.
References
Tulane University. (2020). Key Social Media Privacy Issues for 2020. Retrieved 4 June, 2021, from https://sopa.tulane.edu/blog/key-social-media-privacy-issues-2020
Weaver, A & Morrison, B. (2008). Social Networking. Computer, 41(2), 97–100. Retrieved 3 June, 2021, from http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1109/MC.2008.61
