Top Myths
Regarding Internet Privacy
Almost everyone has been victimized or knows someone who has
been the victim of someone hacking into their personal email or social media
accounts. In today’s world, too many trust the internet as long as there are
privacy settings to protect the user. Below are several myths that a majority
of internet users believe to be true.
Myth
#1 – Users have privacy rights in Social Media Platforms. I often
hear the phrase, “My Facebook page is private, so if they are not my friend,
they cannot view my information.” This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media venues have rights to track every
move its users make as there are no regulations or constitutional rights that
prevent it. Any information, such as personal information can be sent to
advertisers. Anything posted online may as well be public information.
Myth
#2 – You have the right to retrieve all of your information once displayed. – When a user posts something on the
internet, just because you take it down does not mean that it has disappeared
forever. For example, I post on Facebook that my best friend has robbed a bank.
She finds out that I posted her name and crime on the internet and demands that
I remove it or else. Just because I remove my post, does not mean that it is
gone. All it takes is for one person to share, tag, or comment and the post
then becomes theirs with your name attached. Just because you delete, does not
mean it has disappeared into thin air.
Myth
#3 – The
personal information you provided is yours alone. – FALSE!
The personal data that a user provides, online and especially to social media
platforms, is factual. Factual information is not considered intellectual
property according to United States law. Databases that hold your personal
information are more protected under consent than you are. Facebook has fought
several disputes as they have been accused of sharing personal data to
advertisers.
How do we
protect ourselves on the internet?
The less information a user provides to a social media outlet
or online in general, the more privacy the user receives. We must assume that
everyone can read everything we make available online as privacy settings do
not protect everything. A digital reputation is extremely hard to clean up
after years of posting derogatory information, photos, blogs, posts, etc. Less
is definitely more!
"Top 5 Internet Privacy
Myths about Social Media Debunked." Sgrouples Online Privacy Blog.
Sgrouples, 20 June 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2013.
I had already read about these myths before and for that reason I am now very careful about the comments and photos that I post, because I know that since the moment I publish something, everyone will be able to see it and it will be always in the data base of the social media. On the social media all the things, persons, companies, etc. that you say that you like or dislike are archived and counted and all this information becomes the intellectual property of the social media. These companies earn money for advertising and selling your information to other companies. Thus, the next time thinks better about what you want to share with the world because the social media is not a good place to post your personal life as many do.
ReplyDeleteI'm interesting about the myths regarding internet privacy. You have Facebook is a very popular example today, it makes more easier for people to understand and care about hackers or internet privacy. Therefore, people should be careful when use the Facebook, you do not think what you have deleted it, it will not appear anywhere...it can be hidden by another person who want to rob and say bad things about you on the social life on Facebook.
ReplyDeleteThis post has really educated me in how privacy works in social media. Of course I use it, so it's very helpful to be aware of how things work and what "private" really means.
ReplyDeleteArmando - You are right! If you like a page, it is tracked and used to the advantage of those seeing that information.
ReplyDeleteVy & Karen- Facebook is only one example as there are so many more that I could have used. However, with the trending social media platforms, everyone feels they have a voice and it should be heard. Social Media companies, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, change their privacy settings every time the wind blows. It is important to protect your digital reputation as if everyone is watching what you are doing.
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your approach to this issue, internet privacy is a huge topic and individuals hold many beliefs. Often the beliefs these individuals hold, turn out to myths simply due to their own lack of knowledge. If you want your information private, then simply stay off-line.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more!!!!!! The only way you are going to receive privacy is to stay off-line like you said. We actually have a blog about Perfect Privacy check it out.
DeleteWise words. Everybody needs to be careful about what they put out there, specially since employers look at what you post. I think it would be best if people understood how to filter what goes online and what stays personal.
DeleteI do agree with you completely on the issue that Facebook and other social medias are not exactly private. Although, when you say the things that are deleted from these are never really gone. Is this because the social media will hold it in a database or is it just a risk that someone may share it before they had the chance of deleting it?
ReplyDeleteSamantha - Both are possibilities. If I post something on my Facebook account, Facebook has all rights to that information. Also, if someone on my friends list shares my post, it no longer is my information as it is on their page (With or without my name attached).
DeleteI used to believe that by making my privacy settings so that only friends could see my posts etc. my profile was actually private. But, after receiving requests from random people that don't share any mutual friends or other info I quickly realized that was a myth.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Laurina! It is important to understand which privacy settings are suitable to your needs. When a user with no mutual friends reaches out to you, it is possible that they can only see your profile picture and name, but again...it all depends on your settings.
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