Security and Privacy Issues at Social Network Facebook - Literature review Example

Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : xxxxxxxxxxx Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx @2001 Abstract Social networking sites have presently increased the types of services they are offering and the number of their users is also growing rapidly. On the other hand, online users have expressed various concerns relating to their privacy protection with recent news articles revealing a number of privacy breaches as well surprise changes to various privacy policies. These events may well negatively affect data protection in addition to compromising users’ trust. It is therefore important that various social sites have precise privacy policies affirming comprehensive protection methods. This particular report is about the detailed analysis of some of the main aspects of the social network security and privacy issues. In this research I will evaluate that how social networks (Facebook) is it invading people’s privacy or not. The main intention is to take comprehensive research on the biggest social network “Facebook” regarding the possible assessment of the main security and privacy issues that can exist in the overall social networks Introduction With the increase in the number of Internet sites globally, social networking services are gaining great significance to many people across the globe in terms of work and even leisure. On the other hand, as these sites get even more popular, they encounter a number of design as well as legal challenges, particularly those factors related to privacy protection. Studies have revealed that online users of the sites are concerned about how the social networking sites protect their personal information, so it is reasonable for the site owners to come up with various privacy policies that indicate various methods the firm employs in protecting personal data as well as providing consumer protection. The main aim is to carry out a comprehensive research on facebook as the biggest social network with regards to the likely assessment of the major security and privacy issues that can exist in the overall social networks. The basic question therefore remains, is Facebook, as a social network, invading peoples’ privacy or not? Literature Review The growth of internet technologies has resulted into a sudden increase of online social networks such as Facebook. The channels of communication and tools on the various sites include email, blogs and other means through which various consumers use to enhance their communication with their colleagues globally and which has played a significant role in their exceptional growth. According to Kuzma (2010), for instance, the use of various social sites grew by 35% in Europe with approximately 56% of the online European population visiting various sites. The number of the European consumers is predicted to increase from 41.7 million to about107.4 million in four years time. Asia users were made up of 35% of the social networking membership, Middle East, Europe and Africa at 28%, North America 25% and Latin America accounted for 12%. The significance of the online social networks has grown tremendously due to their many advantages to both businesses and individuals. For individuals, social networking sites provide opportunities for better networking with other individuals across the globe in addition to organizing their social lives. Businesses on the other hand are able to benefit from the online social networking sites by serving various clients with minimum financial costs. Firms are also able to enhance their customers’ services as well as their client involvement in their various product innovations while at the same time using communication technology to empower their employees. Kuzma (2010) indicates too that online social networking sites employ data mining methods to gather information for marketing purposes. According to Boyd etal, (2007), popular media coverage on social network sites have highlighted possible privacy concerns, mostly relating to the safety of its users. Boyd et.al., (2007) argues that a number of researchers have also investigated possible threats regarding privacy related to the social network sites. In one of the earliest analysis on privacy and social network sites, Gross & Acquisti (2005) outlines possible threats regarding privacy found in the personal information added in the sites by various users, for instance the potential ability to restructure various users’ social security numbers by employing information found in their profiles, such as place of origin and dates of birth. Gross & Acquisti (2005) argue further that there exists a disconnect between the users’ desire to protect their privacy and their actions, a matter that occurs when different users are ignorant of the public nature of the social network sites. In another analysis on social networking sites, Dwyer et.al., (2007) argues that trust along with the usage goals affects what users are willing to share and as a result users are more willing to share information on the sites they greatly trust. Boyd et.al., (2005) claims that privacy is as well drawn in the users’ ability to be in charge of impression as well as deal with social contexts. Boyd et.al., (2005) for instance emphasized that Facebook’s introduction of the “News Feed” feature interrupted users sense of control, although data showing on the feed were in the past accessible. Boyd et.al., (2005) argues further that privacy options presented by the social network sites do not offer users’ flexibility that they need in order to deal with conflicts from friends who share different perceptions regarding privacy; they propose framework for privacy in the social network sites that they trust will enable them resolve the conflicts. According to Boyd et.al., (2005) social network sites are defying legal perceptions regarding privacy. He argues further that the fourth amendments to the United States and the legal decisions regarding privacy are not placed to address to deal with social network sites. For instance, whether the police officers are allowed to access certain content posted on Facebook with no warrant. The legality of these hinges on the users’ expectation regarding privacy and whether or not Facebook profiles are regarded as private or public. According to Kuzman (2010) key problems facing many online networking sites including facebook is the understanding as well as complying with a number of privacy laws. Many firms are therefore dependant on different or even conflicting laws. Kuzman (2010) there has even been several lawsuits regarding privacy issues that are associated with online networking sites. For instance, according to the Associated Press, California Facebook users filed a suit during the year 2009 accusing the firm of violating state privacy laws in addition to misleading consumers on how confidential information ought to be used. According to the article; it can be difficult for juries to make a decision on how realistic privacy expectations could be when individuals are exceedingly forthcoming as regards various details of their lives. According to Kuzman (2010), a study carried out by the University of Cambridge in the year 2009 on various social sites that includes Facebook revealed that majority of the sites had a privacy policy. On the other hand, this study revealed that majority of these sites failed to make their policies well-known especially when seeking users to sign up within the sites. The sites therefore did not promote such policies for fear that their potential users may be put off, thus allowing their consumers to share various data with great impunity. Kuzman (2010) argues further that a number of social networking sites such as Facebook may provide their users with satisfactory privacy terms of agreement. However, various consumers are capable of using such sites like Facebook in order to come up with other applications shared by other users which may end up exploiting or exposing the consumers’ information. These applications may thereafter not be able to provide privacy settings that are strong. Another study carried out by Dwyer et.al., (2007) on Facebook revealed that various users’ perceptions regarding privacy and trust were much similar and that they had also much similar issues regarding privacy. However, the result of their study interestingly established that a number of young adults were still using the sites and building online relationships even after perceiving that the privacy safeguards were not strong. Woodward (2007) on his study on the perception of privacy among young adults found out that majority of the online users do demand some level of privacy within a particular network. However, they realize that online social networking sites’ policies in addition to terms of service do not adequately protect users’ dignities, even though they are capable of doing so using the available technologies. Methodology In this particular study the primary sources for collecting data were questioners and interviews. Interviews were preferred because they probe the interviewee to give a deeper response concerning the topic. Interviews also facilitate a higher response rate. Questionnaires on the other hand are effective for the study because they facilitate the collection of data from a large sample within a shorter period of time. Both methods can be termed as less costly. In addition the both interviews and questioners enhance confidentiality thus the respondents are basically at ease when it comes to giving candid and honest response. The first phase of fieldwork involved the utilization of the interview method which was undertaken first in order to provide initial information that is more in-depth. Also interviews would also assist in formulation of the questions to be used for the questioners. Interview questions were therefore prepared to be administered to sample of students at Oxford University. The interview questions were based on the getting the opinion of the interviews concerning the notion, whether the face book network is invading peoples privacy and in what ways. Some of the responses obtained from the interview were further utilized to develop objective questions for the questioners. Questioners were prepared and distributed randomly to students of the institution. The questioners composed closed ended questions and a few open ended questions. The closed ended questions intended the interview to reply based on the multiple choices provided. The open ended questions on the other hand required the respondents to state their opinions briefly about the subject. Prior to giving out the questionnaires to the various respondents, the researchers explains to the respondents the purpose and objectives of the study. In addition respondents were encouraged to give honest, candid and objective responses. Main text/results This study has revealed that certain elements of privacy are not clearly supported by facebook as a social site .This is capable of negatively affecting facebook as a social site even as the number of other online social network sites grows in numbers and various users have many options to access other social networking methods. The study reveals too that various consumers have presently revealed increased concerns over privacy protection issues. The results of this particular study reveal too that face book as an online networking site, has a number of critical as well as non-critical privacy elements that put their users’ privacy at risk. Facebook owners ought to realize that this is able to increase Facebook users’ distrust, thus leading to financial as well as marketing problems to the firm. As an alternative, Facebook ought to employ multi-dimensional approaches that includes technical, managerial in addition to training so as to deal with online privacy. This will ensure their users are provided with higher level privacy protection. Evaluation Face book compared to other social networking services offered greater measure as far as its users’ privacy was concerned.However, according to Woodward (2007), it has in the recent past been confronted by massive criticism regarding its various issues on privacy. Woodward (2007) claims that a large number of its clients, including majority who until now infrequently use Facebook, concur that privacy has turned out to be a major concern for Facebook. As a significant online system used across the globe and intended for both personal and business utilization, there is no doubt that Facebook has increased its popularity as compared to other social networking sites such as My Space. For fear of Facebook-based privacy issues, the privacy criticism is calling for a profound significance. At the moment issues concerning privacy as well as safety measures are stimulating great fears projected to the Facebook users. According to Calderón (2010), it is deliberated that privacy protection has currently assumed great significance to various users of Facebook. Woodward (2007) on his study on the perception of privacy among young adults found out that majority of the online users do demand some level of privacy within a particular network. However, they realize that online social networking sites’ policies in addition to terms of service do not adequately protect users’ dignities, even though they are capable of doing so using the available technologies. Taking into account the mainstream of innovative security and privacy transformation, it is deemed that a greater percentage of Facebook users are very open to privacy. These concerns are rising as outlined in the image shown below: Conclusion In case of protecting user’s privacy Facebook is taking a lot of actions and initiatives. The biggest and noticeable problem existing at Facebook regarding the protection of privacy is about the use of third part applications like games, as well as tools. In case of usage of such applications, companies are able to get access to user’s personal information that later on lead toward some of the main privacy issues. In case of adopting new security settings and privacy policy of the Facebook we are proficient to protect ourselves from possible outsider and security breaches attacks. This research has efficiently assessed that surly we are facing some of the security along with privacy issues at social network Facebook however Facebook is not invading people’s privacy now. Facebook is definitely offering enhanced tools and techniques to protect your privacy. References Boyd, D & Ellison, N, 2007, Social Network Sites: Definition, History, and Scholarship, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, Retrieved on November 28 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter Woodward, J.A, 2007, What every librarian should know about electronic privacy, Libraries Unlimited. http://books.google.co.ke/books?id=srDvF1-dduEC&pg=PA63&dq=is+facebook+invading+peoples%27+privacy?&hl=en&ei=NjXyTIToO8G3cMrfkf8J&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCwQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false Gross, R & Acquisti, A, 2005, Information Revelation and Privacy in Online Social Networks. Proceedings of WPES'05 (pp. 71-80). Alexandria, VA: ACM. Dwyer, C, Hiltz, S & Passerini, K, 2007, Trust and Privacy Concern within Social Networking Sites: A Comparison of Facebook and MySpace. Retrieved on November 29 from http://csis.pace.edu/~dwyer/research/DwyerAMCIS2007.pdf Kuzma, J, 2007, Empirical Study of Privacy Issues among Social Networking Sites http://www.google.co.ke/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbs=bks:1&&sa=X&ei=NjXyTIToO8G3cMrfkf8J&ved=0CFoQBSgA&q=is+facebook+invading+people%27s%27+privacy%3F&spell=1 http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&q=literature+review+on+whether+or+not+facebook+is+invading+people%27s+privacy Read More