Privacy & Confidentiality

Privacy & Confidentiality

In this post, discuss how the issues of privacy and confidentiality are related to new media.

 

There are many pros to the use of social media however, many skeptics have noted the various negative aspects of social media. Among them is an important concept; the issue of privacy and confidentiality. When someone puts up a blog or creates a Facebook or other social media page, they are putting their information in the large, dark world of the internet. If their information is not set to be private, other individuals can easily view their information. Malicious users can stalk other users as information is easily obtained on a social networking site, especially if ones page is not private. Users are also exposed to government and corporate intrusions which not all people like as it is a violation of privacy. When you search an item or click on an item, something called a ‘cookie’ remembers this and advertisements will be molded toward what you prefer to search or click on. These practices have occurred before social media but social media has only made new ways for these malicious users to strike unexpected users. Users can also be hacked and have their personal information stolen and even used in the black market. As more cases arise regarding privacy and confidentiality, more laws and practices will have to be developed to protect users from violations of privacy.