The Privacy In Social Networking

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Just because you are doing nothing wrong, will you keep open your room door at night? The majority would say ‘NO’, that is because to being secure or to have privacy, no one needs any reason to be declared to anyone since nothing will harm to no one ultimately. To be isolated and to be left alone are the individual preferences what all of us deserve. We expect our privacy in different ways. But that does not mean on this planet there will be any one who will likely grant their privacy towards anything.

In life we are interacting with plenty of people. Although we have got less time to spend leisurely with our loved ones, still we find easy to reach them through social networking. If you are one of one billion of persons who use social networks, there is a benefit that everyone is accompanying to each other through online in social networks. The statistics people share with online friends let them to be in touch without any difficulties. But there might be numerous people who are spying on that information. Also that data can be used in future in various ways.

Nevertheless, several people moreover contacts and colleagues who are interested in the information what users post on social networks. The individual offenders, stalkers, scam artists, debt gatherers and organizations are observing for a market benefit is using social networks to collect data about customers.

This essay will deliver the specific details about the benefits and detriments of using the social networks. Also this essay will contain the identified Ethical, Social and Legal issues relevant to Social Networking and all the issues will be assessed and evaluated with applicable key aspects of Ethical, Legal and cultural issues relevant to an IT professional.

In social networks there are many ways that users’ information being open to everyone without their concern. There can be very confidential information will be shared by the user as Photos, Videos, Age, Genders, Biographical details, Geographic Location, Acquaintances, Status Updates and preferences etc.

Accepted friends may copy and paste the information that a particular user has posted in profile without the permission. And also the intermediate applications which have been allowed access will be able to view information that the use or the user’s friends post confidentially. In certain situations, some information may be publicly visible by default, yet user will be able to change the privacy settings in order to make the confidential information "Private" that will only be visible to user while some other information will remain in public which will visible to every internet user who have logged into that particular social network but still the user will not have the authority to restrict access to it.

The social network can be changed its Privacy Policies at any time without users’ permission therefore user needs to be more careful when the period which was dispatched with preventive privacy settings will have a possibility to become visible when any privacy policy is changed by the authorized committee. Having sufficient educational qualifications will not be enough for professionals in order to be an example to the general public. Being an IT professional will strictly have to respect and follow British Computer Society (BCS) code of conduct (2011). At the same to design, develop and implement technologies where no one will get any harm out of it.

Just because users are benefiting the variety of options within the social network, should they have to share their confidential information to public? Is it fair to take the control of their private lives which are not supposed to be visible to strangers? Then again is it wrong for the software developers to implement such privacy settings or undefined privacy policies? These options may be preferred by certain users, but yet is it applicable for majority? According to the Utilitarianism theory this is not right since it breaks an ethical issue called Equality.

The Social Networks themselves have no need of guarantee of the privacy issues that may cause with the information of users which was updated to a profile, even though these data was supposed to be confidential within them or limited to a short listed contacts. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (2010) has demonstrated about the Facebook’s Eroding Privacy Policy as follow:

Since its incorporation just over five years ago, Facebook has undergone a remarkable transformation. When it started, it was a private space for communication with a group of your choice. Soon, it transformed into a platform where much of your information is public by default. Today, it has become a platform where you have no choice but to make certain information public and this public information may be shared by Facebook with its partner websites and used to target ads.

These days privacy has become a trend in the world because of these social networks. According to Nick Bilton (2010) who is a technology journalist in New York Times has questioned from Mark Zuckerberg (CEO – Facebook) "how does Zuck feel about Privacy?" and Mark Zuckerberg (2010) responded "[laughter] I don’t believe in privacy". If the Co-founder doesn’t believe in privacy, will he bother about others’ privacy? And then again as professionals, is it right to play with innocent people’s lives?

Social networking and its privacy concept will cause many ethical issues. User trusts the social network service; therefore user is willingly updating the personal info which doesn’t supposed to be visible by everyone, but to the selected contacts. Without any permission, changing the privacy policy will not be preferred by the users who even might not be known after it’s changed. Is it ok to break the trust of users? Some users are hacking others’ profiles and stealing pictures/videos for blackmailing, taking revenge and so on. Aren’t these breaking the ethical principles such as; Trust, Dignity, Reliability, Security of a person? Yes, it does break. Not only that there also will be many professional issues due to hacking others profiles in social networks. As IT professionals they are responsible to protect BCS (2011) code of conduct. Hacking a profile will breach the BCS (2011) Professional Competence and Integrity.

Many users were not aware, and that Twitter has implemented such a thing by way of for new users to build their network by finding or appealing their own friends. More than 1000 companies wait in order to get access to a lot of tweets from users who use social networking Website. Companies rely on that, by making use of Data Mining tools, they would be in a position to capture important information for the market and for the advertising purposes. Invisible data collection is illegal according to the Data Protection Act (1998) in UK.

Some people who possibly will be prefer an anonymous contain, but are unlimited to; those with medical conditions who want to discuss treatments without having a public record of their illness, campaigners and bloggers have engaged with governmental discourse, medical specialists, containing psychological fitness experts, the law enforcement agents, liberation and probation generals, targets of stalking, sensual attack and domestic strength. According to the consequentialist theory being anonymous is not wrong due to various consequences as mentioned in above.

There also many social issues due to privacy concerns in Social Networking. Criticizing about celebrities in social networks also will disrespect for the particular celebs. And at the same time social network users spreading fake stories just for their dissatisfaction, revenge or for many reasons. But yet is it a right thing to do in public? Those kinds of actions will make a bad impression for them. Just because there are public figures, that does not mean they haven’t got a personal life to live. Insulting politicians, uploading disrespectful images will lead many social issues among the individuals and even can be heading to a conflict ultimately.

After concerning all the aspects of privacy in social networking in various angles, just because IT professionals are developing such networks and implementing such privacy policies where there are interferences will be caused for individuals for their privacy, and yet those social networks have made a huge change within us in positive way. Even though users are numerously benefited, and meanwhile they have not enough privacy for their personal lives, but yet are they sticking with those networks? Well they do.

In social networking for privacy concerns according to my perspective, these social networks aren’t wrong as well as not right. But yet IT professionals develop such services for themselves and for some benefits of users. The main mistakes that these networks make are, changing privacy policies as they wish and compromising privacy of users for their own good. Yes according to Deontological theory this isn’t right. But the questions, by knowing all these problems still users are continuing the involvements with these networks. There is no force for any user to post any confidential things on these social networks. But yet user does him/herself and keeps blaming on those networks.

Somehow according to priceless benefits, user will have a need of using those social networks as mentioned in very first in essay. And according to the consequentialist theory this isn’t wrong since it does the greatest benefits for greatest number of people.

But yet the recommendation would be for anyone including myself who is going to be a IT professional in future, when developing any website or any system always need to concern about the negative and positive implications for users. And also as professionals always should remember to be responsible whatever do to public, because it may not only impact on your dignity as well as for the reputation of relevant professional body. Being a professional always will have to protect all the legislations and the guidelines and principles of the specific professional body. And the user also need to be very careful, just because there are many social networks out there with plenty of facilities, not to get in those which are insecure as well which will impact on each of our confidentiality.