Online Journal Entry 6 : Important issues around online identity, privacy and trust

Online Journal Entry 6 :

Important issues around online identity, privacy and trust

The article by Raynes-Goldie (2010) explain the way in which Facebook users’ debate about their online privacy. After careful consideration of this article I am able to see how younger generation are protecting their personal information and concerns about their social privacy rather than their institutional privacy. It shows younger generation are more concerned about controlling access to personal information rather than how the company behind the Facebook will use that information. This article examines advantages of Facebook (1) it increases efficiency and (2) transparency of communication. There two important features of Facebook (1) its terms of service that its users must use their real names, identities to connect with real world contacts and (2) all personal information is stored on a huge database where it can be manipulated where Facebook tracks down everything. Two major ways in which users try to protect their social privacy is (1) through the use of alias and (2) deleting wall posts and photo tags which otherwise would be kept permanently. The use of multiple accounts, direct URLs and photo album will also violate the privacy of others and should be dealt with caution. The advantages of online Facebook identities are twofold (1) it replaces phone or email as a default mode of interaction and 2) people tend to keep Facebook profiles updated rather than address book so messages will get relayed easily. An example of a social cost for users  for not having a Facebook account is they do not have an online identity.

After a careful assessment of the article by Mallan and Giardina (2009) I was able to reflect that social networking sites are giving younger people newer identities by using the web 2.0 for socialising with friends. It is stipulated in this article that younger people are adopting their identity work to fit into these web 2.0 technological applications. The major idea expressed in this article described how younger people make an effort to fit into the 4 key sections on Myspace categorised by a (1) profile content/design (2) profile image (3) friends list (4) comments section. These 4 categories offer an insight into younger generations perceptions of themselves and it’s a way to understand how web 2.0 is having a broader social impact beyond technologies themselves. After a careful evaluation of this article I conclude, that social networking sites provide (1) social connectivity to youths and (2) serve as an important identity validation that will help younger people navigate this socially networked world.

References

Davis, L. (2009). 8 tools to track your footprints on the web. Retrieved from http://readwrite.com/2009/02/01/8_tools_to_track_your_footprin

Mallan, K. & Giardina,m N. (2009).  Wikidentities : young people collaborating on virtual identities in social networks sites. First Monday, 14(6), 21-31. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/viewArticle/2445

Raynes-Goldie, K. (2010). Aliases, creeping and wall cleaning: understanding privacy in the age of Facebook, First Monday, 15(1), 32-36. Retrieved from
http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2775/2432