This document discusses privacy and data collection issues related to social media networks. It notes that while many users share detailed personal information and location data on networks like Facebook and Twitter, these companies extensively collect and share user data with third parties for advertising and other purposes. The document examines social network privacy policies which allow broad use of user data, and how this constant collection and sharing of information can negatively impact users and their control over what is shared about them online.
2. The rise of social networking
Social networking has fast become
a popular form of communication.
Facebook has over 1 billion users
Many social networking sites such
as Twitter and Facebook have
location services which, if turned
on, maps where they are at a
specific time.
3. Third party applications – you have to give permission but the allure
of them makes it easy to give permission.
Many privacy issues, which the websites claim are easily solved by
the user when they adjust their settings – limiting who sees their
content.
They are not however, limiting the data these social networks
collect. Facebook and Twitter use our locations to suggest us
adverts, sponsored companies and so on to follow/use.
4. Do we really control what people
see?
Many people use Facebook daily, putting up detailed accounts of
their lives on there. From where they are right now, to what they did
last night and how they are feeling now.
Facebook’s Data Use Policy – They get information about our ISP,
every time we go on someone’s profile, they know. They can GPS
track our locations. Every click, every search, every interaction is
monitored.
Our data IS shared with advertising partners however, the website
claims that they do not share anything which can identify a user.
5. Social implications: for many Facebook
helps them stay in contact with friends.
You can check in, tag friends in photos
and generally stay up to date with
someone’s life on Facebook who you
haven’t seen in years.
There have been many cases of
people’s employers/seniors have found
something horrible they have said about
them on their profile which has resulted
in a sacking.
However, mapping your life on
Facebook has helped many people
aswell. Many businesses and charities
have gained supporters and money
through Facebook as their only means of
selling/sharing their stuff.
6. “for internal operations, including troubleshooting,
data analysis, testing, research and service
improvement.”
One of the many problems with privacy is that most
users of websites do not read through the terms and
conditions because of their length. The changing
nature of privacy is making it more and more difficult
for users to control the use of their data as we become
more reliant on such websites.
The downside of sites like Facebook is that they can easily change their policies and
even if the change bothers us, our attachment to the website might mean we
remain on there.
7. Facebook’s ticker system shows us what friends are
doing on other profiles – increasing the amount of
surveillance we do
Surveillance on social network is a huge issue.
Although the generally discussed issue is their
policies, it should also be noted that social
networks are turning us into modes of surveillance.
