These days, modern technology has had a strong impact on people’s everyday lives. A relatively recent phenomenon in the history of computer-mediated communication (CMC) is the enormously spreading popularity of social network sites (SNSs). A diverse and comparably large amount of CMC takes place on these online social networks in which users have to deal with various communication channels and face new challenges in terms of online privacy. In order to find a balance between the exchange of (private) information and keeping a certain degree of privacy, users need to develop a certain communication and language behavior which this paper is going to study.
In this context, Chapter 2 gives a general overview of basic theoretical knowledge in order to find an approach to the impact of privacy on SNS. It regards the creation of virtual identities and examines the concept of face. Furthermore, the chapter examines the phenomenon of privacy concerns related to CMC in general.
The third chapter of this paper focuses on the topic of SNSs considering its self-contradictory nature more closely. On the one hand, they demand private data in order to attract curiosity and interest. But on the other hand, they lack privacy to a certain degree and have, thus, aroused a huge controversy. Moreover, this chapter features an explanation of the term “friends” and its extraordinary use in a SNS-related context. Finally, the chapter considers a recent study by Lewis et al. (2008: 79-100) which looked at the privacy behavior of students on SNS.
Chapter 4 offers and studies some text type examples which describe and explain the use of both transparent and private SNS communication channels. In this context, it approaches a text type example of a status line, a wall post and a private message. Eventually, it tries to find correlations between the users’ choice of a particular communication channel and the privacy degree of the individual message. Employing these methods, this paper studies the impact of privacy of CMC and related to SNSs in particular. It tries to answer the question how strong privacy concerns affect the SNS communication behavior of individual users.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The Concepts of Identity, Face and Privacy in Computer-Mediated Communication
- The Construction of Virtual Identities
- Putting on a Face
- Privacy Concerns
- Privacy in Social Network Sites
- A Self-Contradictory Issue
- A Note on the Term "Friends"
- The Facebook Case Study
- The Impact of Privacy on CMC on Social Network Sites
- A Matter of Choosing the Appropriate Channel
- Text Type Examples
- Example 1
- Example 2
- Example 3
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to explore the complex relationship between privacy and communication on social network sites (SNSs). It investigates how the online environment influences the construction of virtual identities and the management of privacy concerns.
- The impact of social media on identity construction and self-presentation
- Privacy concerns in the context of online communication
- The role of communication channels in managing privacy on SNSs
- The significance of the concept of "friends" in a SNS context
- The influence of privacy concerns on user communication behavior on SNSs
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Chapter 2 introduces the concepts of identity, face and privacy within the context of computer-mediated communication (CMC). It examines how individuals construct virtual identities and manage their online personas, highlighting the implications for privacy.
Chapter 3 delves into the specific issue of privacy on SNSs, exploring its paradoxical nature. It analyzes the interplay between data sharing and privacy concerns on these platforms and examines the role of "friends" in this context. The chapter also presents a case study investigating privacy behavior among students on Facebook.
Chapter 4 focuses on the impact of privacy concerns on communication choices on SNSs. It explores the diverse communication channels available and examines how users navigate them to balance transparency and privacy. The chapter provides examples of text types, including status lines, wall posts, and private messages, to illustrate different communication strategies.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper centers on the interplay of privacy, identity, and communication within the framework of computer-mediated communication (CMC), particularly on social network sites (SNSs). It explores key concepts such as virtual identities, face-work, and the impact of privacy concerns on user communication behavior. The study utilizes examples of text types from SNS platforms, aiming to understand the relationship between channel choice and privacy management.
- Quote paper
- Nico Reiher (Author), 2009, Privacy on social network sites and its impact on computer-mediated communication, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/154916
