Social Media and Privacy
(Winkler, 2020)
Introduction
The evolution of web technologies has transformed how the internet is used. It has moved from a one-way street, where you could only search for and read information, to being utilised for communication, a product of user generated content, data sharing and society building (Salim et al., 2022). The web environment has dramatically changed since the introduction of Web 2.0 tools, applications and web services including social media. This has allowed two-way communication and users being able to contribute content. As a result of such changes there is a growing concern regarding the privacy of sensitive information of users.
Social Media and Privacy
Privacy is defined as the need for protection, security and the control of who has access to personal information (Kramer & Schawel, 2020). The risk of privacy loss in social networking is almost unavoidable due to the large number of users (Cho et al., 2020). Many people have a strong motivation to protect their privacy and perceive their information as private property (Kramer & Schawel, 2020). Whilst there may be rules in place to control the distribution of such information, the balancing of self-disclosure (behaviour) and motivation for privacy (attitude) needs to be equal to help protect oneself. Building an awareness about limiting the amount of personal information shared on online environments and the possible repercussions of what is shared is essential. Respecting the private data of others through web presence and interactions (Hernández-Martín et al., 2021) is as equally as important as having strong social media policies in place that target both privacy and the use of technology.
The very nature of social media platforms is to share thoughts, knowledge and information with online networks. Many people utilise social media daily (Kemp, 2021) to maintain social relationships (Kramer & Schawel, 2020). It offers a fast way to interact and publish personal information such as age, relationship status and points of view with other users through the creation of profiles as well as the exchange of words, videos and photos. It is through this generated content that sets of data and digital trails are created and in fact can cause a threat to the privacy of one’s information (Crocco, et al., 2020). The sharing of this type of user generated data (private information), referred to as self-disclosure, has the potential to be collected, analysed and shared by service providers with third party organisations or other persons for various purposes such as advertising, research or business (Marino, 2021). Also known as data mining, this can be very harmful causing data privacy to be breached.
Implications for schools and libraries
We live in a society that is data rich, data reliant and data driven (Marin et al., 2021). The adoption of social media platforms is being utilised as a powerful tool to provoke change and promote connectivity, interaction and collaboration in educational organisations (Giannikas, 2020; Manca, 2020). As schools and school libraries continue to embrace social media to market, connect and inform (Akwang, 2021), data privacy has become a major concern. As a teacher librarian it is very important that I ensure appropriate policies, guidelines and practices are in place at a school and individual level. Such measures will go towards protecting the privacy of our users as well as ensuring a safe and transparent environment is established (Liew, 2022). It is also essential that we educate students, staff and the wider community about information and digital literacy to equip them with the skills to be digitally competent thus ensuring the safety of all (Pangrazio & Selwyn, 2019). This can occur on many levels. Educating students, staff and parents about appropriate information that can be shared, using security settings when interacting on social media platforms, finding credible and reliable information, and the ability to spot when something isn’t quite right are integral components of digital citizenship. Etiquette as well is an important part of digital literacy and a very important part of digital competence.
In order to prepare future generations, proficiency in digital competence is necessary (Marin et al., 2021). Early education is the key. Research suggests that many pre-adolescents are ignorant and unaware of what occurs behind the scenes of the platforms they are utilising (Crocco, et al. 2020). Exposure to the competence of protecting personal data and digital content does not occur only when starting to interact on social media. Instead, seeds can be planted as soon as people become of school age or start interacting with the web environment. In my Year 1 library lessons we currently focus on a unit of work that explores, “How can I stay safe online?” The very topic of keeping your personal information private is explained through the adventures of fictitious sea animals. Similarly, with the increase of fake news and misinformation, my Year 5 class focusses on evaluating information online to find credible and reliable sources for their research. Although this is not directly related to social media usage and privacy, it provides some foundational understanding.
Disseminating information on this topic should not be left to teacher librarians alone. The ICT General Capabilities in which these topics fall is the responsibility of all teachers. A whole school approach is required. Monk’s (2021) research suggests that school-based intervention strategies to help prevent harm from young people’s image sharing, should enable them to develop positive social norms and employ defined expectations of appropriate behaviours when online. It also recommends instilling moral and social reasoning skills along with the ability to make wise decisions.
Conclusion
In order to promote the positive use of social media and protect the privacy of its users not only do schools need to have proactive policies and procedures in place but they also need to be supported by a committed leadership team to develop a safe and positive school culture. Educating, building an awareness, and implementing strategies to enhance the digital literacy and competencies amongst the staff, students and the community about technology use, will aid in enabling a safer environment in which they interact and communicate.
References
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