Discussion Post 2- (Privacy policies and their terms and agreements)

 

 

 

 

 

Facebook, one of the greatest platforms of communication on the internet to this day. Facebook also happens to be one of the biggest data collecting platforms because of the millions and millions of users who own and access their accounts each and every day. Facebook represents itself well through the use of different marketing tools and organized website regulations. Now in our technological era, being able to like and share something with others is almost like a way of life. It keeps people updated on what we’re doing, where we’re going, and what we’re getting ready to do. Through the use of data sharing on Facebook we personally choose what we share with the people we associate ourselves with on their website.

Through the terms and agreements users agree to on Facebook, a user agrees to a lot of things unknowingly because of blind trust. Although, that would be the users fault for not reading the terms and agreements. Facebook states in their Data Policy section that, “when you share and communicate using our Services, you choose the audience who can see what you share.” Meaning, when you agree to their terms you agree to giving information about yourself, not only to Facebook, but to third parties and others that follow you. Between targeted advertising, and fetishism on the internet, Facebook does a good job in controlling the exploitation of surveillance and consumer interests. Through these things, Facebook can tell what the user likes from their search engines and other things they’ve liked through their site.  With this Facebook can conduct and create a user generated set of personalized ads and other data that would be of use to their site.

With what we were shown through the documentary and Facebook, we see many similarities between the two. As shown in the documentary, things such as governmental sharing, personal data sharing, and anonymity, are all things that Facebook have in common. Whether it be through the content the user themselves share, or the information the user is giving up through the terms and agreements process. Privacy sometimes becomes fuzzy because of all the information we choose to give to websites such as Facebook. For example, in recent news headlines two mass shooters who were later gunned down by police are now being prompted by the government to be given access to their Facebook accounts. Facebook is fighting this case because it is against their user agreement policy to give access to other users information without their consent. A court case is now in effect between the government and Facebook, where Facebook and twitter are now backing apple in phone encryption battle against the FBI.  Although Facebook takes measures to protect your personal data, the lines do become blurred in whether its consented by the user or not. Protection of the everyday user is what becomes the most important to the users of today, and as long as they’re guaranteed this, there is no questioning of their privacy.

This documentary has definitely reminded me of the true threats that are out there on the internet. It’s easy to forget because we automatically think that we’re “safe” if our profiles or twitter accounts are “private” but that’s not always the case. Although those things do help with being somewhat anonymous, we can’t always count on those measures to fully protect our privacy. As users, we have the right to privacy, but once we sign up for social media accounts, we do in a way sign up for the surveillance of what we post and share. I have definitely already been aware before this video, but it’s important to reiterate the importance of privacy on what we post and share with others. You never know who might see what you’re posting so it is in fact vital to remember what I post, and what could be seen by other people.