Facebook and the Rights to Privacy

The theory of ritualized media – ‘the media are not just consumed for informational or entertainment purposes, they are also habitually used as part of people’s everyday life routines, as diversions and pastimes’ (Debatin et al. 2009).

Facebook, the world’s largest social networking site with over 50 million users worldwide is a globalizing trend in modern times. The usage of Facebook has become a habit for many and the statistics of Facebook Addiction Disorder (FAD) patients are increasing over the years since its launch in 2004. Despite the danger of addiction, Facebook is often criticized for their privacy shield. (ABC 2010 & Renganayar 2010).

one of Facebook's logos

(image source: http://www.tcd.ie/disability/projects/DS3/index.php ).

Facebook has admitted that it as been breaching privacy policies by allowing user information to be spread to advertising companies. It was found that many of the social networking sites’ popular applications access information about the members of Facebook and their friends, to companies to build detailed databases for online tracking purposes. Authorities of Facebook.com declared that the social networking site will take action against these issues, and will disable applications that is involve in the violation of the privacy policies (ABC 2010).

A Facebook user's personal information being accessed

(image source: http://danielfive.com/facebook-design-sucks-facebook-users-facebook/)

The Facebook iceberg model illustrates two parts of Facebook usage, the visible part and the invisible part. The visible part, innocent user profiles and social interactions are only a small part. Whereas the invisible part of the iceberg illustrates the filtering of personal information and the data from interactions from the visible part, for business purposes (Debatin et al. 2009).

The Facebook Iceberg Model

(image source: Debatin, B, Lovejoy, J, Horn, A & Hughes, B 2009,

Facebook and Online Privacy: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Unintended Consequences,

Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 15, pp. 88.)

Besides using Facebook unethically as a tool for business growth, it can also impose greater danger. For instance, one cannot control the postings, stalking and information extraction of third parties. In a case study, an unknown person hacked into Brian’s Facebook account. The hacker changed Brian’s “interested in” to incorrectly imply that Brian was gay, changed his password, his ‘interest in,’ his profile picture to an inappropriate one and also targeted his friends. The hacker made comments on the walls of Brian’s friend’s to further imply that he was gay, and also tag Brian’s girlfriend in a picture of a donkey. These were publicly humiliating for Bryan (Debatin et al. 2009 & CBSNewsOnline 2010).

(image source: http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/s/sexually_harassed.asp)

Many Facebook users understand these dangers, but their high gratification in ‘Facebook-ing’ overweighs the high risk of privacy invasion that not only affects the user, but his/her friends and family as well (Debatin et al. 2009). In my opinion, users should make full use of the privacy controls to prevent invasions.

References:

ABC News 2010, Facebook admits privacy breach, ABC 19^th October, as viewed 10^th November 2010, < http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/19/3042594.htm >.

CBSNewsOnline’s channel 2010, YouTube, as viewed 10^th November 2010, < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GimEDFj4Hno&feature=rec-LGOUT-exp_fresh+div-1r-3-HM >.

Debatin, B, Lovejoy, J, Horn, A & Hughes, B 2009, Facebook and Online Privacy: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Unintended Consequences, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, vol. 15, pp. 83 – 108.

Renganayar, C 2010, Do you have Facebook Addiction Disorder?, New Straight Times 1^st August, as viewed 10^th November, < http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/02cdsns2a/Article/ >.