The topic of social media and privacy, unlike others that come and go, remains an “ever-important issue for internet users around the world” (Valentine, 2020). Thus, it has significant implications on one of the fundamental roles of information organisations and information specialists – protecting patron privacy. As libraries begin to embrace Web 2.0 technologies and social media to serve and connect with patrons, unique concerns arise regarding protection of patron privacy (Cotter & Sasso, 2016).  Social networking adopted by libraries promotes the open sharing of information, which is often personal information. “Thus, embracing Library 2.0 potentially threatens the traditional ethics of librarianship, where protecting patron privacy and intellectual freedom has been held paramount” (Zimmer, 2014).

According to the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) internet manifesto guidelines:

• Librarians must respect the privacy of Internet users in the library and their information seeking choices.
• Librarians keep no more record of Internet use than is required by law, retain such records no longer than is required, and protect the integrity of records at all times.

(IFLA/FIAFE, 2006)

As social, educational, and professional paradigms become more and more intermingled through social networking, privacy protection becomes more difficult to maintain. In order to prevent potential risks in compromising user privacy, libraries and information specialists need to be aware of the various threats posed by integrating social media platforms and Library 2.0 solutions to deliver their services. Some privacy concerns arise as patrons are encouraged to participate in these integrated social platform features such as with maintain user profiles or sharing comments. Other privacy risks arise as some of these platforms “aggregate patron usage and activity data to fuel algorithmic filtering, provide personalised content and recommendations, and help identify and analyse trends” (Kritikos & Zimmer, 2017).

In the article Data Privacy on Social Media and Why it Matters (Valentine, 2020), the author outlines various trends and statistics relevant to internet users and their attitudes towards social media privacy. She states that two-thirds of internet users are concerned about their personal data and how social media platforms may use it. In turn, a large proportion of users are reducing sharing of personal images and information to protect their privacy. This also has implications within libraries as patrons may be hesitant to engage with Library 2.0 tools and platforms due to privacy concerns and mistrust surrounding data collection and distribution.

In today’s digital landscape and with the ever-growing dominant presence of social media sites and mobile technologies, online communication has become a part of everyday life. With an increased amount of personal and professional sharing of information, users, more than ever, need to develop privacy literacy skills. These are are active thought processes that take place as users share information, which in turn develop their understanding of how their information is being used and ways to protect their personal data (Wissinger, 2017). Libraries, as advocates of patron privacy, have an ethical responsibility to support patrons in developing these skills and create awareness surrounding privacy issues.

A guiding principle for libraries, as stated in The Glasgow Declaration on Libraries, Information Services and Intellectual Freedom (2002), is “libraries and information services shall protect each user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted”.

Cotter and Sasso (2016) discuss why it is crucial for librarians to be aware of privacy issues pertaining to the user beyond the traditional definition. They also discuss the need for libraries to earn and maintain the users’ trust not only through transparent communication with the users but also by using a comprehensive privacy policy. In their research article they state that “libraries should take the next step and adopt policies that establish basic parameters regarding patron privacy on social media, including what information is collected about patrons and how it may be used as well as patrons’ choices to opt in or out of sharing this information and photos” (p. 87).

Policy development strategies in libraries that seem to be successful include using existing documents such as privacy policies in other libraries, current research as well as guideline publications produced by governing global bodies (Lund, 2021), such as the IFLA, ALA, ALIA. There are numerous publications, such as the ALA’s Privacy Toolkit, that are available for librarians to utilise in developing their own policies and consolidating their knowledge and understanding of fundamental library principles (Gressel, 2014). Developing an encompassing and clearly written social media privacy policy is particularly important, not only in educating patrons about their rights and how to protect their privacy, but also in reassuring them that their privacy protection is a priority in library services, regardless of changes in the information landscape (Zimmer, 2014).

Gressel (2014) discusses other measures and strategies that libraries can implement including:

• further developing their privacy policy
• educating patrons through flyers/pamphlets and resources on various topics such as social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
• advocating for user information privacy and protest institutional breaches

Furthermore, librarians need to possess sufficient knowledge and understanding in patron privacy concerns across various and widely used web-based tools and applications (Zimmer, 2014). Such knowledge may be acquired through advocate groups and organisations providing librarians with information on privacy updates and patron rights such as Library Freedom Project (Kritikos & Zimmer, 2017). Ultimately, libraries need to keep in mind their commitment to patron privacy and function not only to provide the tools and services to best meet the information needs of a user but also to equip them with the right skills in safely navigating the evolving information landscape.

References

Cotter, K., & Sasso, M. D. (2016). Libraries protecting privacy on social media: Sharing without “oversharing”. Pennsylvania Libraries, 4(2), 73-89. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.5195/palrap.2016.130

Gressel, M. (2014). Are libraries doing enough to safeguard their patrons’ digital privacy? The Serials Librarian, 67(2 ), 137-142.                                                                                                            https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1080/0361526X.2014.939324

Kritikos, K. C., & Zimmer, M. (2017). Privacy policies and practices with cloud-based services in public libraries: an exploratory case of Bibliocommons. Intellectual Freedom and Privacy, 2(1), 23-37.                                                                                                                                  https://doi.org/10.5860/jifp.v2i1

Lund, B. D. (2021). Public libraries’ data privacy policies: a content and cluster analysis. The Serials librarian, 79(3-4), 1-9.                                          https://doi.org/10.1080/0361526X.2021.1875958

Sturges, P., Davies, E., Dearnley, J., Iliffe, U., et al. (2003). User privacy in the digital library environment: An investigation of policies and preparedness. Library Management, 24(1), 44-50. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1108/01435120310454502

Valentine, O. (2020, March 31). Data privacy on social media and why it matters. We are social. https://wearesocial.com/blog/2020/03/data-privacy-on-social-media-and-why-it-matters#

Wissinger, C. L. (2017). Privacy Literacy: From Theory to Practice. Communications in Information Literacy, 11(2), 378-389.                                                                                 https://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/scholarly-journals/privacy-literacy-theory-practice/docview/1990799272/se-2?accountid=10344

Zimmer, M. (2014). Librarians’ attitudes regarding information and Internet privacy. Library Quarterly, 84(2), 123-151.                                                                                                                          https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1086/675329