By Jocelyn Hernandez

Introduction The word and idea of privacy is truly hard to define especially in an age where

everything is easily accessible. Every person has their own definition of what privacy means and how it is defined. This is a direct reflection of the diversities in society and the differences in values across communities. While some might value certain aspects of privacy, others may resent them. This causes lost values within the idea of privacy. However, because there is not a clear definition of privacy, lines are easily blurred and there are not many rules concerning privacy. These blurred lines become especially prevalent with users of Facebook. Although there are many ways to keep yourself protected online, privacy is almost unattainable.

Current Definitions of Privacy Alan Westin

Definition: the claim of individuals, groups, or institutions to determine for themselves when, how, and to what extent information about them is communicated to others(Westin 1967). This is also seen as the control over the information about oneself (Lee 2002)

-However, we are in a new age of information and technology and this definition does not directly address this new age.

-Although this definition is the goal for most people regarding social networking sites, this definition is very broad and abstract.

-All parties, according to this definition, can easily be compromised on Facebook and that is not addressed.

-For example, people can choose what information they do or do not disclose and whether or not that is communicated to others

-The problem is that privacy is more than just the way choose to portray ourselves.

Current Definitions of Privacy Don Jacob

Agrees that privacy is highly appreciated in the United States and differs from other nation, thus creating a broad idea of what privacy is. He also refers to privacy a concept that includes the interferences with personal information, secrecy, repose, reserve, peace of mind, bodily integrity, anonomity,solitude,seclusion,sanctuary, intimacy or intimate relationships, and decisional autonomy. This means that privacy is a conditional or limited access to one or more aspects of a person (Jacob 2014).

-While all aspects of Jacobs concept parallel with the idea of privacy they can not all be attained in one area, however there is a way to maximize the amount that we choose to keep “private.”

Why does this matter? The current definitions of privacy are too broad, too abstract, and do not cater to online social

networking .

CMC is the new way of communicating and very prevalent in this society.

Facebook is more than a social networking site, it is a mine for information about a person.

Information can eventually be leaked

Employers can see your Facebook even with all privacy settings on.

Facebook can be used as a window into a persons life whether the owner of the Facebook gives permission.

Facebook owns your information once you post it.

People do not realize that information on Facebook is so accessible.

Information Leaked It has become apparent that Facebook makes information readily available to third parties and

everyday citizens can gain access to this information for a price without the original owners permission. This information is used for the clients own personal gain(Netchitailova 2012). This can lead to sexual harassment, harassment, cyber stalking, data theft , data fraud, and identity

theft (Netchitailovo 2012).

Also, because everything that is posted online stays online there is a greater chance that people you do not want to have access to your information can have access. For example, a person who checks using Facebook’s settings, runs the risk of alerting people where

they are or are not. This gives stalkers and intruders the opportunity to either breach your privacy in a location or breach the privacy of your home while you are not there (Lee 2014).

It is known and understood that anything that is posted on the internet is fair game. This means that everything you share online can be archived and saved for a later time. There have been several times where something is posted to Facebook and even though it is deleted immediately the information comes back to haunt the person. This can become a problem because something that someone else posted could have detrimental effects on your life (Netchitailova 2012).

Facebook and Employment Again, everything that is posted on the internet, especially Facebook, can be saved and

reposted anywhere. This becomes a problem because employers and businesses have access to this information. Also, even though Facebook has several ways to keep your information private, there are ways that employers can gain access to this information. Information that is shared on Facebook can also be found on Google (Netchitailova 2012). Sometimes this information is bought by employers even if the highest setting of privacy

is set on a personal Facebook (Tello 2013). This information, if it is bad or not widely agreed upon or liked, can lead to either the

decision to not hire a potential employee or the expulsion of the employee. The ethical question that is raised: Can ones private and social life be kept separate from

their personal life? The answer given that this is the age of information and technology, is no. Because technology is so

highly used in all aspects of current life, it is almost impossible to avoid the problems above. The problem however is that this is not okay. The choice and the right to keep professional and social life separate is very important to protect. This something that most people accept and do not question.

Facebook and Employment CNTD. Also, with new monitoring technology an employer can monitor all

aspects of an employees internet usage. This gives the employers information about what sites are visited, what times they were visited, and how long they were visited for (Nord & McCubbins & Nord 2006).

The next slide contains a list of capabilities that employers have while monitoring internet usage in the workplace. All of these violate any definition of privacy because it gives someone access to the personal information one strives to control. The simple access to the information that can be attained through monitoring is not the problem, it is the ability to take to information found, keep it, and use it without permission. Although using Facebook during work time is not ideal, it should not be monitored so closely that a personas very personal business is put at risk. Not only do these abilities breach personal privacy preferences they are very dangerous and can cause some serious harm regarding peoples very private personal information.

The workplace end user types any keystroke in any window on his/her remote PC, that text appears on the network administrator’s screen in real time or archived to a corporate server.

Typed text that is monitored may include email messages,online chat conversations,documents,passwords and all other keystrokes.

The network administrator can view the actual screen of the workplace desktops being monitored.

Internet usage can be monitored in real time and a log file recording of all Internet activity can be made.

A spy module can see and list software running on the remote PC and can view in real time the software applications and run executions.

A record and activity log for all workstations on the local or shared network location can be produced.

Monitoring software provides the ability to take snapshots of a remote PC screen or active window in specified time intervals and save them on the local or shared network location.

The workplace user's system can be turned off, restarted, and actually logged completely off the network.

The network administrator can run programs and execute commands on remote computers,open Web pages or documents,send instant messages for remote users, and terminate remote processes.

Files can be readily copied including logs and screenshots from the desktop computers.The administrator can have the same file access permissions, as a current user has on the workplace computer.

Multiple employee computers can simultaneously be monitored from a single workstation in the LAN.

Workplace surveillance software that runs on monitored computers is hidden and difficult for an employee to locate or even know that the software is present and monitoring their every keystroke.The monitoring software usually cannot be terminated without the network administrator's permission.

(Nord & McCubbins & Nord 2006).

What can all this lead to?

False sense of privacy Within most articles regarding the privacy of Facebook there is a conclusion drawn that

most people are unaware of the rules and regulations regarding their social privacy. According to Netchitailova, “people do not know much about Facebook’s privacy policy and

for which purposes their data is used for.” “Twenty- two percent of [their]sample do not know what the FB privacy settings are and do not remember if they have ever changed them” (Netchitailova 2012).

Also people have agreed that they just agree to the terms of use without actually reading it thoroughly. Information like your name, location, pictures, IP address, pictures you upload, texts within conversations on Facebook, and times of posts are all collected and saved. Technically this information becomes property of Facebook and many users are unaware of this (Netchitailova 2012). People are under the impression that others cannot access this information without consent or

permission yet that is false. Facebook reassures users that privacy settings can be adjusted at any point, however because data is

saved and kept information that is deleted or changed through privacy settings is still available to the actual corporation of Facebook (Netchitailova 2012).

False Sense of Privacy and Advertisments According to Lucia Tello users are “unaware of the use of their private data, their

searches in browsers, products they acquire or links they visit. This information is stored and used without any consent or knowledge” (Tello 2013). This is especially true on Facebook and exemplified when something that was

searched in a different browser earlier is not at the top of the Facebook homepage via advertisement.

According to Tello, the lack of privacy, especially on Facebook is due to three things: 1. The technology itself-this makes it possible to track people and their whereabouts.

2.Pursuit of Profits- this allows companies to monitor the users tastes to personalize advertisements.

3. Government- the government uses Facebook as a way to look closer into a users life especially if they are a suspect of a crime

All of these reasons prevent Facebook from truly being private

ConclusionOverall, there is a lack of knowledge of what Facebook is allowed to do and what

they are not and because there is not a clear definition of privacy Facebook can continue to take advantage of the idea of privacy. Not only can Facebook take advantage but third parties and employers. It is important for each individual to examine and understand all aspects of Facebook and how one wants to portray themselves online. It is also important that people educate themselves on the policies that Facebook currently has regarding privacy. This can lead to a demand for change. The only way we can protect ourselves to educate ourselves than propose a new way to interact online that gives people a sense of privacy. It might be too late for Facebook but according to a study done by Quan-Hasse and Young, people are open to alternatives that offer more privacy. However these alternatives are not yet available(Young & Quan-Hasse(2013). In this process it is important to remember that complete privacy is not attainable but the minimization of aspects that threaten privacy are. In order to reach a more private Facebook society needs to do three things. First, educate ourselves and others about current privacy policies, demand change, then create alternatives. Without these three things, change cannot be made and it is clear that change is needed.

Where do we start?

How can we come closer to a more private Facebook? First we must minimize the interferences that Don Jacobs claims cause a

dissonance in privacy

Next we must demand a more private Facebook. The owners and creators have been challenged over privacy rights and ideas and

that has caused change and improvements within Facebook or just brought attention and awareness to the issue. Here are some links to those stories:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/technology/27facebook.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/03/technology/facebook-privacy-lawsuit/

Privacy settings of Facebook “New settings would simplify a system that required users to sort

through about 150 options” (Helft and Wortham 2010).

Take a look at the “new and improved privacy” settings. How user friendly is making your Facebook private?

Do you truly feel that you are protected privately through these settings?

Here is the link to all of Facebook’s privacy settings: https://www.facebook.com/help/445588775451827

Protection Strategies Here are some links to blogs that give advice to protect you personal

information on Facebook and the internet:

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/security-trends/social-networking-security-threats/protection-strategies.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/technology/personaltech/on-facebook-deciding-who-knows-youre-a-dog.html?_r=0