Is there Such A Thing As Privacy in Social Media?

 Privacy, Privacy & Social Media, Social Media, Social Media Risk  No Responses »
Apr 222013
 

As social media usage continues to grow the privacy debate becomes more intense.  The more we interact on social media, the more information we relinquish and the more we diminish our privacy. It is a user driven collapse that shows no bounds exposing individuals to a number of issues including:

  • identify theft
  • hacking of personal information
  • data storage
  • harvesting of personal information
  • bullying/stalking and more

Social media sites actively encourage disclosure of information and in most cases information is given up easily.  Birthdays, employment information, friends, photos and slowly a picture of your life is accessible online.  This information stays permanently online and can be easily searched becoming accessible to any number of people not originally intended to see the information.  The default privacy settings on social media sites still remain weak regardless of what the organisations say.

When individuals keenly give up personal information it shifts the boundaries in terms of what is acceptable content to be considered private.  As privacy is being challenged in the context of social media are people concerned about this lack of transparency?  Or are our expectations of privacy changing?

The most proactive approach moving forward is encouraging a culture of self responsibility and education where users are aware that the more information they give up the less privacy they have.  This is especially so with teenagers who still lack maturity and don’t fully understand the consequences of disclosing information.

The line between what is considered personal information in the context of privacy is being blurred.  If people are concerned about their information, the only safe way to keep it private is to not put it online.

What to people think – are they concerned about this so called lack of privacy or is it just a perception?

 

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 22 April, 2013 at 10:46 am

Is there such a Thing as Privacy on Social Media?

 Data Collection, Data Storage, Privacy, Social Media  No Responses »
Sep 032012
 

Privacy and social media covers a range of topics which is complex and difficult to police.  As these sites become additionally popular and individuals interact further on them they are likely to disclose more information.  In the process everyone opens themselves up to a number of things including identify theft, the hacking of personal information and so on.  Not forgetting of course the controversial issue of data storage and harvesting of personal information.  Already the information you give up is harvested and sold off to companies so the information is valuable.

Social media sites actively encourage disclosure of information and in most cases people willing give up the information without anything thought.  Birthdays, employment information, friends, photos and slowly a picture of your life is online.  The more individuals engage with social media sites, the more likely they give up information.  Once the information has been volunteered it stays there permanently.

So the question needs to be asked whether privacy actually exists on social media sites? If people keenly give up personal information what are their expectations in terms of privacy?  Do they believe their information is protected, should be protected or do they really care?  Should we be open to changing our mindset about privacy when it comes to social media?  Or do we still have the expectation that this information is private and should be kept so even though it is harder and harder to control and police.

What do people think?

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 3 September, 2012 at 3:51 pm

Web Surveillance

 Cybercrime, Cyberspace, Data Collection, Hackers, Internet Freedoms, Open Internet, Privacy, Surveillance, Web surveillance  No Responses »
May 212012
 

It is becoming increasingly possible that individuals will have their web history logged under the disguise of law enforcement purposes.  A couple of weeks ago the Attorney-General Nicola Roxon announced “new plans to review national security legislation to ensure our national security capability can evolve to meet emerging threats, while also delivering the right checks and balances for a civil society.”

Potential reforms are to be considered by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security considering the potential reforms through public consultation and hearings. Read more here “Web Snooping Plan A Step Closer to Reality”.

Is this an issue that concerns individuals?  Web monitoring differs from Internet filtering as rather than blocking access to sites; it retains a record of web sites visited by the user.  Although we are in reality a fair way from web surveillance, potentially this could mean that any device connected to the Internet could soon have its web history logged and retained by telecommunications companies.

Web surveillance is something more and more governments around the world are increasingly trying to implement in some way.  In the UK, the Coalition Government is looking at proposals to monitor email and social media raising a number of concerns – “Internet Companies Warn over Government Email Surveillance Plans”. Further with the Olympic Games approaching in London, a vast security presence will be in force.

Governments may have legitimate law enforcement reasons in terms of solving crimes, terrorists, organised criminals who threaten national security and protecting the public, however, it is increasingly becoming an accepted part of society. It raises a number of issues in respect to privacy, data access and protection. It also gives the impression that citizens are all potential criminal suspects who need to monitored.  National security now seems to be used regularly to convince society that governments needs to extend the State’s powers to protect them.  However, does this actually create a safer society, or one that is completely paranoid that it has to keep tabs on its citizens?

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 21 May, 2012 at 11:33 am

Do People still Trust Google?

 Data Collection, Internet Freedoms, Open Internet, Privacy, Search Engines, Surveillance  No Responses »
May 152012
 

A couple of weeks ago a Federal Communication Commission Report was released on Google’s Street View Program. It was a fairly damning report that raised a number of questions in respect to whether Google’s snooping was a lone case or an intentional corporate strategy.  For a summary of the account, have a read of this article, “Is it time to stop trusting Google?”

Google claims it was a rogue engineer and they had no knowledge of his activities.  I find it challenging to believe that Google had no idea what was happening and it is all very convenient to blame one engineer.  However, should it be given the benefit of the doubt?  This time probably yes, although it is now on notice.

On a bigger scale, is this important?  Some argue that if there is no harm perpetrated, it doesn’t really matter if Google collects data?  I disagree with these sentiments.  As a company that manages so much personal data, it matters how Google and others collect information and whether they inform the public.  As the knowledge economy becomes more entrenched, personal data is crucial.  It is one thing to consent to your data being collected and used; it is another to collect data without the recipient’s consent or knowledge.  This needs to be a transparent and open process so that users can make informed choices.

It is also too simple to place all the blame with companies like Google.  The user needs to take responsibility as well and take precautions where possible with new technologies.  Users need to be proactive and stop blaming huge companies.  The Internet is a public space.  Any information that is uploaded onto the net should be considered ‘public’ and ‘accessible’ regardless of the precautions taken.  That is why when you share information be careful with your personal information.  If you choose to share this information, then you do so at your risk.

Thanks for reading!

Feel free to ‘tweet’ or ‘repost’ this article or leave your comments….

 Posted by on 15 May, 2012 at 4:31 pm

Hand Over your Facebook Password if you Want a Job!!

 Facebook, Privacy, Social Media, Social Media in the Workplace  No Responses »
Mar 222012
 

It seems that job seekers are being asked for their Facebook passwords as part of the interview process.  Read more here.

In their efforts to scrutinise candidates, some companies and government agencies are going beyond the glance of a Facebook page and asking for passwords so that employers can log in while the interview is being conducted.  This is particularly the case where profiles are set to private making them available only to certain people.

Although some candidates refuse and withdraw their application, others can ill afford to.  Candidates obviously are able to say no but the pressure being applied on them could almost be classed as bullying.  Some say yes as they feel they can’t say no because they need the job.  This places individuals in a challenging position particularly when they require the employment opportunity.

The fact that employers are asking this question raises so many issues – whether it is legal to do and whether it violates the privacy of an individual to mention just two points.  These issues remain murky as we enter unchartered territory in terms of social network sites.  We are entering a new era in terms of public versus private information.  Is something still private if we post it on Facebook or Twitter?  Should employers be able to access this information to examine prospective employees?

These are interesting times!!

What do others think?

Is it okay for employers to ask to access your Facebook page?

 Posted by on 22 March, 2012 at 1:21 pm

Internet Tracking Debate

 Data Collection, Internet, Online Identity, Privacy, Surveillance  No Responses »
Jan 242012
 

I’m back after the summer break and hoping to bring you some interesting thoughts this year on the current issues of the Internet, starting with Internet tracking.

It seems that Internet users are becoming savvier about covering their tracks while online.  It is common place for users to be tracked anonymously as they visit websites.  The tracking follows you from one website to another compiling information about you which is stored for what purpose who really knows.  More people are using technology that allows them to keep track of who is following them.  This gives users a sense of control.  Read more in the following article: “More Net Users Covering Their Tracks”.

Some of the tracking software being used (which is free to download) includes Ghostery and Adblock who are also increasing their usage.

More and more people are becoming increasingly uncomfortable knowing they are being tracked and that information is being collected and stored about them.  Companies say it is so they can send tailored personal advertisements, however, the issue of consent is the real key.  Even though there is no identifying information to the data they collect, do companies have the right to track you without you knowing they are doing it, what information they are collecting and how they are storing the data?  These are all extremely important questions as we grapple with modern communications.

Further, there are issues on the way companies’ link the shared information which potentially could allow users to become identifiable and disclosure policies which are unclear and not easily visible.

No one knows what will happen to this data in the years to come.  More clarity is needed so that users have a choice whether to be tracked or not.  What do you think?

 Posted by on 24 January, 2012 at 2:24 pm

Facial Recognition: is this Total Surveillance?

 Internet, Privacy, Surveillance, Technology shifts  No Responses »
Nov 242011
 

 There was a great article in yesterday’s The Age, Facial Recognition: The Case for and against ‘Total Surveillance’.

Facial recognition technology is about to become the most significant technology that we have seen for a long time.  It is state of the art in terms of recognising and identifying people and this will be particularly useful when it comes to crime, airport security and so on.  The person being identified won’t know they are being watched as the technology doesn’t require the person looking into a camera.

This may all go well for criminal issues but how about the average person who has never done anything wrong in their life?  Unlike other forms of recognition or identifiers, the additional aspect of face recognition means that it forms a biometric identifier which cannot be undone if your face has been hacked.  This raises serious issues in terms of privacy and identity issues.

Have a read of the article which states the ‘for’ and ‘against’ arguments and let me know what your thoughts are.

 Posted by on 24 November, 2011 at 4:15 pm

Online Privacy is Merely an Illusion

 Cyberspace, Data Collection, Internet, Privacy  No Responses »
Nov 112011
 

Privacy means different things to different people.  When it comes to modern technologies, this impacts on our privacy.  GPS navigation, smart cards, electronic transport tolls all have some elements which affect our privacy.  In the online environment it is even more complex particularly when it comes to personal information, which is only one aspect of privacy.

What happens when you pointlessly browse while online?  We all do it when we are little bit bored at work or have nothing to do at home.  It usually doesn’t mean anything and we don’t think much of it.  However, most likely as you surf the web, you are being tracked.  This apparently anonymous data is being collected by your web browser and is actually harvested and reconstructed by many companies.  A recent article “Online Privacy Leaks Worsen; “Do Not Track” Gains Steam” shows that more and more companies know more about us than first thought.

Increasingly more sites are sharing your information with other sites for behavioural advertising purposes and “opting out” doesn’t necessarily stop the data collection. This is different to the social media privacy debate which I wrote about in Dynamic Business.

For those that are okay with companies collecting profile information based on browsing behaviour and for those that don’t use the Internet at all, there is no need to worry.  But what about for the rest of us?  At the moment, it is up to the individual to be proactive to protect themselves.  The best we can do is to take up the “Do Not Track” on your web browser.  Also be attentive to terms and conditions of companies when buying online or filling in surveys.

So what do people think?  Would like your thoughts and opinions.

 Posted by on 11 November, 2011 at 11:12 am

Anonymity Online

 Internet, Online Anonymity, Online Identity, Privacy, Social Media, Social Network Sites  No Responses »
Oct 252011
 

A recent article “Death of Anonymity Online Has Net Users Fuming” was an eye opener for the future of being anonymous online.  Another article by Lauren Fisher delves deeper into the complexity of the online anonymity debate, “Should We Allow Anonymity Online?”  and is also great reading.

It seems that anonymity on social network sites may be changing.  Users of Google+ (Google’s new social network site to rival Facebook) seem to be having difficulty in being able to using pseudonyms or mononyms (one word names) when signing up.  This is a controversial issue that is becoming more significant as we increasingly hand over our data to these sites.

There are reasons for and against anonymity online.  Being anonymous allows all to communicate freely, which may not occur if identities have to be revealed.  It promotes the right to free speech particularly for those who are afraid or who can’t be open and honest by using their real name.  There is also an element of privacy to be able to contribute to conversation without people knowing who you are.

On the other hand, there is the issue of law enforcement.  It is argued that less criminal behaviour would be committed online if individuals had to use their real names.  This is slightly unconvincing as in the offline world people still engage in criminal behaviour using their real names.  This occurs because not all people are law abiding.  Law enforcement agencies are still able to track down people using pseudonyms as technology is able to support this.  Anyone with the right skill set can trace someone through their IP address (if they are not using Internet cafes) so it is not as difficult as it seems.

There is a school of thought that says having anonymity online is dangerous and everyone needs to reveal his or her identities.  This assumes that people who want to remain anonymous online want to engage in criminal activity otherwise why would they what to be anonymous.  There are valid reasons why some people want to remain anonymous.  It also, however, presumes that people only have one identity which is not the case.  How people behave at home is not how they act at work.  There is a distinction and individuals would ideally still like to keep these identities separate.  Forcing people not to have a choice may mean that the move to have no anonymity online may backfire.

It seems to me that the Internet is becoming less about having choices and more about giving up our information to technology giants such as Google and Facebook.  It is in the interest of Internet companies for there to be no anonymity online.  This way they are able to collect and match our information much more easily.  So is having a “real identity” online basically about exploiting our information for more advertising dollars?

I would be interested to hear what your thoughts are.

 Posted by on 25 October, 2011 at 4:39 pm

Online Data Collection and Privacy

 Data Collection, Internet, Online Marketing, Privacy, Surveillance  No Responses »
Oct 172011
 

 

Today, online tracking technologies are so sophisticated that the amount of information they collect could be considered Orwellian.  Numerous amounts of data is collected on an individual’s browsing habits.  This may be combined with other information gathered from public records or social networks sites to build customer profiles.  A great blog article provides more information: ‘Online Privacy Concerns with Data Collection’.

There may be legitimate reasons for companies wanting to collect data.  They want to gain a competitive edge and being able to use this customer information for selective purposes is to a degree not surprising.  However, the key issue is that most consumers on the Internet may have no idea what information is being collected or by whom and whether this is passed on to third parties.

The debate of online data collection versus privacy concerns is a fairly complex one.  The technology is here to stay and is part of business innovation.  Users have embraced and adopted the technology openly and positively.  However, is the balance geared towards the benefit of businesses?  Due to the sophistication of the technology and the introduction of location-based information, companies are able to fairly accurately pinpoint a user’s real time physical location.  Historically, identifiable information was considered protected information when it came to privacy.

There are some individuals who don’t care but for those that do they need to be able to have choices.  Individuals need to have a say in when sensitive and personally identifiable information is collected and shared.  Policy makers need to be active in this debate to allow consumers more control over their data particularly data that makes them identifiable.

Consumers need to have the option to withdraw if they do not what to participate in online data collection, for example similar to the ‘do not call register’.  The privacy statements, which do exist, are usually hidden away and if individuals do bother reading them they are far too complicated.  There needs to be visible and transparent statements if online data is being collected, why it is being collected and what will be done with it.  This way consumers can make an informed choice whether they want to take part or not.  A rebalance with individuals having more say in what is collected about them needs to occur.

I would be interested to hear what you think.

Are you concerned that your information is being tracked or is this the reality of the current world we now live in?

 Posted by on 17 October, 2011 at 5:26 pm
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