- I could take a survey of college students who use facebook and ask them the main reason that they knowingly reveal potentially damaging information on a network that may or may not be private. Ironically enough, I could use facebook to ask this question.'
- Harnessing the opinions of the users of facebook will give a direct insight into the reasons why they divulge the information.
- Depending on the content of this information, it could possibly either support or oppose the information found in secondary sources. The reason for this will most likely lie within the individual's tendency to not tell the truth, or it could also possibly be attributed to unconscious decisions made by the users.
- If at all possible, I could try and contact someone who has been the victim of a facebook-related mishap and conduct an interview. Perhaps someone who: was rejected from a job, got in trouble with the law or their parents, and/or sexually predator'd.
- Finding the thoughts off those who have been directly affected by the lack of privacy on social networking sites will provide an important opinion. I will be able to find out what is ultimately more important: Personal intergrity or Social expansion.
Barker, Valerie "Older Adolescents' Motivations for Social Network Site
Use: The Influence of Gender, Group Identity, and Collective
Self-Esteem." CyberPsychology & Behavior 12.2 (2009): 209-213. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Christofides, Emily, Amy Muise, and Serge Desmarais "Information Disclosure and Control on Facebook: Are They Two Sides of the Same Coin or Two Different Processes?." CyberPsychology & Behavior 12.3 (2009): 341-345. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Nov. 2009.
Livingstone, Sonia "Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression." New Media & Society 10.3 (2008): 393-411. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Peluchette, Joy, and Katherine Karl "Examining Students' Intended Image on Facebook: "What Were They Thinking?!"." Journal of Education for Business 85.1 (2009): 30-37. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 12 Nov. 2009
Peluchette, Joy, and Katherine Karl "Social Networking Profiles: An Examination of Student Attitudes Regarding Use and Appropriateness of Content." CyberPsychology & Behavior 11.1 (2008): 95-97. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Setzekorn, Kristina. Social Networking Communities and E-Dating Services: Concepts and Implications. Information Science Referenc, 2008.
http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news.aspx?s=71510
http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/05/why-i-no-longer-use-facebook/
Christofides, Emily, Amy Muise, and Serge Desmarais "Information Disclosure and Control on Facebook: Are They Two Sides of the Same Coin or Two Different Processes?." CyberPsychology & Behavior 12.3 (2009): 341-345. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Nov. 2009.
Livingstone, Sonia "Taking risky opportunities in youthful content creation: teenagers' use of social networking sites for intimacy, privacy and self-expression." New Media & Society 10.3 (2008): 393-411. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Peluchette, Joy, and Katherine Karl "Examining Students' Intended Image on Facebook: "What Were They Thinking?!"." Journal of Education for Business 85.1 (2009): 30-37. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 12 Nov. 2009
Peluchette, Joy, and Katherine Karl "Social Networking Profiles: An Examination of Student Attitudes Regarding Use and Appropriateness of Content." CyberPsychology & Behavior 11.1 (2008): 95-97. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 29 Oct. 2009.
Setzekorn, Kristina. Social Networking Communities and E-Dating Services: Concepts and Implications. Information Science Referenc, 2008.
http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news.aspx?s=71510
http://www.jackscott.id.au/2009/05/why-i-no-longer-use-facebook/
The majority of college and high school students maintain a social networking site of some sort. They post information on these websites that can come back to harm them. Some may post their home address, others may upload pictures of them scantily clad or participating in unlawful activities, and some may jokingly post threatening information. What forces drive people to publicly share such information? To answer this question, the social identity of the individuals posting the information must be analyzed. The need to be socially excepted outweighs the potentially detrimental consequences of posting malign information. Understanding such tendencies, and finding other outputs for this self-destructive narcissism, will lead to the prevention of further mishaps resulting from sharing information on social networks.
- Sociologists/Psychologists
- Facebook creators
- Users of Facebook
- Facebook creators
- Users of Facebook
I will readjust my research question.
I will ask what propels users to post personal and/or detrimental information to social networking sites.
To start, I will briefly go over the repercussions of posting such info.
The body of the paper will be mostly comprised of the factors, such as ignorance or the desire for expanded social horizons, that influence people to post such information. I will review each of the factors, the underlying reasons behind them, the approximate number of users who post information for the respective reasons.
I will ask what propels users to post personal and/or detrimental information to social networking sites.
To start, I will briefly go over the repercussions of posting such info.
The body of the paper will be mostly comprised of the factors, such as ignorance or the desire for expanded social horizons, that influence people to post such information. I will review each of the factors, the underlying reasons behind them, the approximate number of users who post information for the respective reasons.
If one were to walk into a room full of college students, very few of them would be able to say that they do not have a Facebook or any other social networking profile. While this may seem like a wonderful social stride, the concept of privacy has been lost somewhere in translation. Every picture uploaded, every comment posted, and every status update is broadcast to a very wide audience.
Within this audience lurks a group that Marc Prensky refers to as "Digital
Immigrants", the generation that was integrated into technology, and they
are capitalizing on the ignorantly-disbursed information provided by the
similarly dubbed "Digital Natives", the generation who grew up with
today's technology. What repercussions may arise from this?
"Digital Immigrant" employers are harnessing this information and
using it to their advantage in the job application process. Companies scan
potential employees' Facebook and MySpace profiles in order to make sure they
will be hiring a responsible individual that will well represent their company.
From the company's point of view, this is a great screening process
because "a 2005 survey found that one out of four employers has
rejected applicants based on research via search engines" (Melber).
This screening is not limited to private businesses, because the "Digital
Immigrants" of the political world are also taking advantage of this
incredible information resource. However, rather than privily prying into the private
pastimes of potential politicians like private businesses do, the Obama
administration is asking for an outright presentation of virtually everything
the applicant has ever posted on the internet (McCullagh).
While this may seem like an information overload, the government sees it a
necessary step in the application process. It is determined to pick the most
qualified and respectable applicant for the position, so there are numerous
reviewers who work to find a possible blip upon the record of the applicant.
"Digital Immigrants" are exhausting their greatest source for
information: "Digital Natives".
"Digital Immigrants" may know more than they are letting on, and
"Digital Natives" may just be more ignorant than they think. This
haphazard attitude has cost a quarter of "Digital Natives" job
opportunities in both private business and government positions. By publicly
divulging self-incriminating information, they are committing occupational
suicide.
Sources
- Prensky, Marc. "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants." On The Horizon 9.5 (2001). np. Rpt. in MarcPrensky.com 2009. 17 Feb 2009 <http://www.marcprensky.com/>.
- Mc Cullagh, Decian." Would-be Obama aides must disclose Web posts, Facebook profiles." Cnet News: Politics and Law. 14 November 2008. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10097448-38.html
- Melber, Ari. "About Facebook." The Nation 7 Jan 2008. 25 Jan 2008 http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/melber.
If one were to walk into a room full of college students, very few of them would be able to say that they do not have a Facebook or any other social networking profile. While this may seem like a wonderful social stride, the concept of privacy has been lost somewhere in translation. Every picture uploaded, every comment posted, and every status update is broadcast to a very wide audience.
Within this audience lurks a group that Marc Prensky refers to as "Digital Immigrants", the generation that was integrated into technology, and they are capitalizing on this ignorantly-disbursed information provided by the similarly dubbed "Digital Natives", the generation who grew up with today's technology. What repercussions may arise from this?
"Digital Immigrant" employers are harnessing this information and using it to their advantage in the job application process. Companies scan potential employees' Facebook and MySpace profiles in order to make sure they will be hiring a responsible individual that will well represent their company. From the company's point of view, this is a great screening process because "a 2005 survey found that one out of four employers has rejected applicants based on research via search engines" (Melber).
This screening is not limited to private businesses, because the "Digital Immigrants" of the political world are also taking advantage of this incredible information resource. However, rather than privily prying into the private pastimes of potential politicians like private businesses do, the Obama administration is asking for an outright presentation of virtually everything the applicant has ever posted on the internet (McCullagh).
While this may seem like an information overload, the government sees it a necessary step in the application process. It is determined to pick the most qualified and respectable applicant for the position, so there are numerous reviewers who work to find a possible blip upon the record of the applicant. "Digital Immigrants" are exhausting their greatest source for information: "Digital Natives".
"Digital Immigrants" may know more than they are letting on, and "Digital Natives" may just be more ignorant than they think. The haphazard attitude of most "Digital Natives" could be considered occupational suicide since they are divulging potentially self-incriminating information. But is this natural selection at work? Is this surveillance keeping the industrious in charge while the ignorant are denied job opportunities?
Sources
Within this audience lurks a group that Marc Prensky refers to as "Digital Immigrants", the generation that was integrated into technology, and they are capitalizing on this ignorantly-disbursed information provided by the similarly dubbed "Digital Natives", the generation who grew up with today's technology. What repercussions may arise from this?
"Digital Immigrant" employers are harnessing this information and using it to their advantage in the job application process. Companies scan potential employees' Facebook and MySpace profiles in order to make sure they will be hiring a responsible individual that will well represent their company. From the company's point of view, this is a great screening process because "a 2005 survey found that one out of four employers has rejected applicants based on research via search engines" (Melber).
This screening is not limited to private businesses, because the "Digital Immigrants" of the political world are also taking advantage of this incredible information resource. However, rather than privily prying into the private pastimes of potential politicians like private businesses do, the Obama administration is asking for an outright presentation of virtually everything the applicant has ever posted on the internet (McCullagh).
While this may seem like an information overload, the government sees it a necessary step in the application process. It is determined to pick the most qualified and respectable applicant for the position, so there are numerous reviewers who work to find a possible blip upon the record of the applicant. "Digital Immigrants" are exhausting their greatest source for information: "Digital Natives".
"Digital Immigrants" may know more than they are letting on, and "Digital Natives" may just be more ignorant than they think. The haphazard attitude of most "Digital Natives" could be considered occupational suicide since they are divulging potentially self-incriminating information. But is this natural selection at work? Is this surveillance keeping the industrious in charge while the ignorant are denied job opportunities?
Sources
- Prensky, Marc. "Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants." On The Horizon 9.5 (2001). np. Rpt. in MarcPrensky.com 2009. 17 Feb 2009 <http://www.marcprensky.com/>.
- Mc Cullagh, Decian." Would-be Obama aides must disclose Web posts, Facebook profiles." Cnet News: Politics and Law. 14 November 2008. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10097448-38.html
- Melber, Ari. "About Facebook." The Nation 7 Jan 2008. 25 Jan 2008 http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/melber.
- Most college students have social networking profile
- Unaware of privacy issues
- Pictures, wall posts, status updates viewable by anyone in network if privacy settings not adjusted
- Digital immigrants can use this to their advantage, most notably in the application process for jobs
- Jobs
- Employers screen applicants using Facebook or MySpace profiles
- Make sure company is hiring responsible person
- "A 2005 survey found that one out of four employers has rejected applicants based on research via search engines" (Melber).
- Combat by selecting respectable profile picture for company to see
- Screening not limited to private businesses
- Government is capitalizing, too
- Involuntary
- "If you want a job in an Obama administration, be prepared to disclose every blog post or comment you've ever written" (McCullagh).
- Information overload
- Reviewers working around the clock to find the slightest blip on a potential aide's record.
- Digital immigrants exhausting their greatest source for information: the digital natives.
- Digital Immigrants may know more than they're letting on, and digital natives just may be more ignorant than they think.
- Haphazard attitude could be considered Professional suicide.
- Is this natural selection at work?
- Keeping the industrious in charge while the ignorant are denied a job opportunity
- Do individuals who obliviously divulge self-incriminating information deserve privacy?
A. Source Synthesis
In this digital age, mass amounts of information are available for virtually anyone to obtain. This truly is a researcher's dream, but it could also end up being someone's nightmare.
In "About Facebook", Ari Melber discusses the privacy aspects of the popular social networking site, Facebook. He goes on to write that members who do not make their profiles private are broadcasting virtually everything they put on facebook to anyone in their network. Whether these people in the network include potential employers or stalkers, such openness with information can prove to be disasterous.
Evidently, it could prove to be disasterous if an individual plans on working for the US government, too. In the article "Would-be Obama Aides Must Disclose Web Posts, Facebook Profiles", Declan McCullagh writes that Obama is requiring all of his potential aides to provide a list of every blog comment, youtube included, that they have ever made.
During a press conference held in China, a female news correspondent publicly compared the infidelity of her husband to the values of China. A member of the audience, who had been recording the ordeal, uploaded the video to the internet. The Chinese government caught wind of this and began to devise regulations that would limit the videos permitted on the internet.
Whether it be a simple comment on a youtube video or a picture of a minor gone wild at a party, everything that goes onto the internet is available for a myriad of people to see. Privacy options are available, but are these measures really enough to keep information private?
B. Research Questions
In this digital age, mass amounts of information are available for virtually anyone to obtain. This truly is a researcher's dream, but it could also end up being someone's nightmare.
In "About Facebook", Ari Melber discusses the privacy aspects of the popular social networking site, Facebook. He goes on to write that members who do not make their profiles private are broadcasting virtually everything they put on facebook to anyone in their network. Whether these people in the network include potential employers or stalkers, such openness with information can prove to be disasterous.
Evidently, it could prove to be disasterous if an individual plans on working for the US government, too. In the article "Would-be Obama Aides Must Disclose Web Posts, Facebook Profiles", Declan McCullagh writes that Obama is requiring all of his potential aides to provide a list of every blog comment, youtube included, that they have ever made.
During a press conference held in China, a female news correspondent publicly compared the infidelity of her husband to the values of China. A member of the audience, who had been recording the ordeal, uploaded the video to the internet. The Chinese government caught wind of this and began to devise regulations that would limit the videos permitted on the internet.
Whether it be a simple comment on a youtube video or a picture of a minor gone wild at a party, everything that goes onto the internet is available for a myriad of people to see. Privacy options are available, but are these measures really enough to keep information private?
B. Research Questions
- Does making a Facebook page private truly make it private, or is it still possible for the privacy to be overridden by a higher power?
- How can the Chinese government regulate which videos are put online? Would the internet be meticulously monitored all hours of the day by a group of highly-trained professionals who could pick out an inappropriate video at the drop of a hat, or would the government completely remove the ability for citizens to upload videos?
- If Chinese internet videos are limited to those uploaded by the government, how would the citizens react? Would they start to boycott the websites that hosted these videos? What repercussions would result from these potential boycotts?
- Surely everything that people put on the internet isn't serious. How would potential employers, or even Obama himself, be able to distinguish between what was written in jest and what was sincere? Would people be given the benefit of the doubt?
- When will privacy stop being protected? What is the boundary?
- Mc Cullagh, Decian." Would-be Obama aides must disclose Web posts, Facebook profiles." Cnet News: Politics and Law. 14 November 2008. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10097448-38.html
- Melber, Ari. "About Facebook." The Nation 7 Jan 2008. 25 Jan 2008 http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/melber.
- "NPR: China Limits Web Videos After Adultery Accusation." 25 Jan 2008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18074271.
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