In the modern internet landscape, it can be very difficult
to understand how to keep your information private. Sites like Facebook have privacy settings,
but frequent site/app updates often change a user’s privacy settings without notification
and can result in our private information being much more public than we
intended. Tech companies make money off
our online behavior by taking our data, translating it into predictions about
us, and selling it to advertisers and other buyers. Thus, it is in a company’s self-interest to
make their privacy settings as esoteric and difficult to use as possible,
ensuring the maximum amount of open, usable personal data is available. (All
Things Considered, 2017)
Research has been conducted on Americans regarding their professed
concerns concerning internet privacy. As
Hargittai and Marwick summarize in their article “’What Can I Really Do?’
Explaining the Privacy Paradox with Online Apathy,” a majority of Americans (as
high as 57%) are “Privacy Pragmatists” who are concerned about privacy, but
approach each situation from a risk/benefit perspective, 25% are “Privacy
Fundamentalists” who are highly concerned about privacy, and 18% were “Unconcerned”
regarding privacy and would willingly disclose personal details for minor gains.
However, when tested in an experimental setting, even the participants most
highly concerned about privacy, willingly disclosed personal information. (Hargittai
& Marwick, 2016) This contrasting
ideology and behavior is known as the Privacy Paradox.
 |
| Sizzle. n.d. |
Considering that as many as 82% of Americans are concerned
about online privacy, it’s jarring to see so many people unable to correctly
identify privacy threats and act accordingly.
This disconnect is likely due to the lack of education/knowledge on how
to successfully navigate the online world, gaining access to all the benefits,
while still protecting your privacy. One
resource I found particularly useful was WNYC’s Note to Self podcast series “The
Privacy Paradox”. They put on a 5 part
podcast (found here) that walked through how our data is being gathered,
synthesized, and used by companies and provided key steps on how to step up
your efforts in protecting your own privacy and online identity. On their website, you can find beginner,
intermediate, and advanced steps one can take to safeguard your privacy from
changing privacy settings on your browser/social media accounts to
strengthening passwords to using two factor authentication for key accounts.
 |
| Christoph Meinersmann n.d. |
Even with Americans’ professed concern over privacy, and
many of us having the tools available or the resources to find the tools to
safeguard our privacy, why is it that so many people don’t follow through with
their convictions? Is it apathy and/or
cynicism as Hargittai and Marwick suggest, or is there some other underlying
reason? Are companies’ privacy settings
too esoteric? Should there be regulations regarding what data companies can
collect? Is opting-out a realistic
option in today’s world?
References:
Hargittai, Eszter and Alice Marwick. “’What Can I Really Do?’
Explaining the Privacy Paradox with Online Apathy.” International Journal of Communication, vol. 10, 2016.
The Privacy Paradox. Note
to Self. WNYC. https://project.wnyc.org/privacy-paradox/.
Feb 2017. Accessed 20 Mar 2017.
NPR Staff. “Online Trackers Follow Our Digital Shadow by ‘Fingerprinting’
Browsers, Devices.” NPR. http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/09/26/495502526/online-trackers-follow-our-digital-shadow-by-fingerprinting-browsers-devices.
26 Sep 2016. Accessed 20 Mar 2017.
Zomorodi, Manoush, et al. “Privacy Paradox: What You Can Do
About Your Data Right Now.” NPR. http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/01/30/512434746/privacy-paradox-what-you-can-do-about-your-data-right-now.
30 Jan 2017. Accessed 20 Mar 2017.
