How social networking sites are redefining privacy and personal information

Public vs. Private Social Networking

What do the words, private and public mean in terms of information?

Public information is defined as being suitable for use across a very broad range of segments, audiences and interest groups of a given population. One of the main attributes or characteristics of public information is its applicability and relatively low level of harmfulness to any person or institution (Hugl, 2011). Public information is often deliberately created to support a given communications program or plan and is evaluated in terms of its overarching value to the entire population of a region or country. Lastly, public information can be as if not more valuable than private information, in that it contains useful, insightful analysis and ideas, including recommendations, of how to solve complex problems.

Private information hasn't got through the same vetting and analysis process that public information has, and often contains insights and data that is very harmful to institutions, organizations and people. For companies and people alike, private information often incudes their most vulnerable and weakest areas, in addition to insight into their strongest as well -- that is precisely why it needs to be kept private (Hugl, 2011). Private information carries with it an explicit responsibility to manage the value of it widely and with discretion as a person's and organization's life can change rapidly if it is not used well. Private information is also the most potent as it can completely change the perceptions others have a person or organization, and often does (Asiimwe, 2010).

Has the definition of the word changed with the popularity of social networking sites?

Most definitely, the definition of private information has changed drastically due opt the popularity of social networking sites. As Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg announced, there is no privacy in the world anymore, to primarily defend the lack of thoroughness his company has when it comes to privacy safeguards (O'Brien, Torres, 2012) social networks are forever changing the definition of what private vs. public information is. Privacy is now more of a relative vs. absolute term due to the advent and continued adoption of social networking sites (Chen, Sharma, 2012). Private information, thanks in large part to the continual resifting of privacy standards on social networking sites and the confusion this is creating, has completely changed the concept of private information (O'Brien, Torres, 2012). Private information today is significantly different than it was just five years ago, it is much more of a relative term and one open to interpretation than ever before.

Are we different people with different people?

Both in-person and online everyone is a different person to different people. With our friends in person, depending on the level of trust, we tell them the good and bad. Online there is a tendency to lonely share the best news on Facebook

(O'Brien, Torres, 2012) yet it is with people we trust the most. On LinkedIn, Twitter and Friendfeed the idea of sharing only the most professional updates and information applies. Everyone is different with different people based one expectations, experiences and trust.

What are the types of online friends who you may wish didn't have access to viewing some types of post.

Rude, obnoxious and arrogant friends who tend to be sarcastic in their comments eventually get defriended and deleted from Facebook. The tendency for Facebook to also bring out the need on the part of people to show off new cloths, cars, or attempt to cause envy is now commonplace (O'Brien, Torres, 2012). It's been an observation that Baby Boomer-level Facebook users only post when they are bragging about an expensive vacation, new car, house or wife.

What sorts of information do you think is appropriate for sharing on the social network, e.g., Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.

Only information that is suitable for being on the Web forever and available without a firewall in front of it, because eventually anything and everything entered on a social networking site will end up there. Any confidential or private information including comprising pictures, could cost someone a job or relationship. That needs to bee avoided.

What types of information do you think are inappropriate or even potentially damaging to you and/or others if posted on a social networking site.

Pictures of people drinking or being in situations that aren't approximate, derogatory comments about a person's appearance, gender, ethnicity and view of the world, including the sexual reference. The level of harassment in social networks continues to escalate due to the free nature of communication on them (Mitrano, 2006). Any comment, picture or content that would be potentially damaging to a person needs to be kept off of social networks, and even if a person has strong religious or political convictions, they are also best left off a social network as they can be potentially damaging as well.

Which of the items below are appropriate for posting in your view; why/why not?

Pictures of you naked at age two. -- Yes, because they are innocent.

A news flash about the recent break-up in your relationship -- No, it's the business of the people who broke up to mention this.

A listing of all the people who annoy or irritate you in class -- No, very bad judgment to engage in this type of activity. Can cause great pain to the people mentioned and a Facebook or social network account to be deleted.

Current information about your work or project -- Appropriate as long as it doesn't give away the core value of it to other terms.

Nasty comments about your boss, co-worker, teacher or class mate -- Unless a person wants to get fired, expelled and also friends, this is never a good idea. This is also permanent and will be around long after the apologies have been made.

Status update while you are having dinner; on a date; in class; at work; studying -- Not a good idea as it is irritating to your friends and could be a security risk to your apartment, home or dorm room.

Note on your friends wall about a party you are in the process of organizing -- As long as the distribution is private and controlled, this could be a good idea. People have done this however on a public Facebook page and had literally thousands of people show up at their parties.

Think of several of your own examples and explain where they belong.

Status updates on a team project -- Belongs in a controlled group of just the team members incouding sharing the last files and work completed.

Who you are dating or seeing romantically - Only in private conversations with the most trusted friends.

Interesting news articles that have useful ideas and concepts -- Post to everyone on Facebook and Twitter, including LinkedIn.

Comments to friends on their progress towards a goal or a trip they are on -- Best to reply back on comment form on Facebook offering encouragement and positive comments only.

What are some steps we can take to ensure that information to which you want to limit access is kept private?

First, the privacy settings on each social network need to be completely understood to keep the most sensitive information shared private among the closest group of friends. Second, the information itself needs to be public enough so it doesn't cause a problem if it is leaked by friends to others. Third, the best approach is to ask oneself if they would be embrasures if their mother saw it on a Google search of their name. Finally, social networks have the ability to tag specific content down to the image and determine their privacy stings. It would be a good idea to also understand these settings as well.

How confident could/should one be that such information is kept secure?

Given the advertising-based model many of the social networking sites are reverting to, there is little probability that all information a person requests to be secure will stay that way. The business models of social networks are predicated on quickly repurposing both content and profile information of users to sell more advertising (Chen, Sharma, 2012). This will translate into an even greater level of confusion s to what constitutes public and private information in the future

(Titiriga, 2011). Ultimately the decision to leave the most confidential information completely offline, despite how one perceives its relative social value, is a wise decision (O'Brien, Torres, 2012).

What are some ways that the information you want to keep private can become public?

Facebook has openly stated their business model will increasingly rely both on users' content and statistics of their use, both used to sell more advertising. Facebook has been known to use images tagged as private in advertising without asking permission (Mitrano, 2006). This is because Facebook has a license clause for each user that states their content can also be used by the company, and the same holds true for Pinterest as well. The most common way that private information you share online will be used is when friends or enemies online take it and distribute it. This can become very viral quickly within a given social circle, nearly becoming impossible to stop. It is best to not post anything that one wouldn't want found on a front page Google search of their name.