Topic > Privacy Concerns Concerning Social Media

Since social media was introduced as a necessary and almost vital part of our lives, several concerns have arisen about the limits we must adhere to in terms of privacy. The mass of information that users pour into this endless data stream is often misused for profit-oriented purposes. It should also be noted that mass does not directly translate to volume, you may think that your daily Foursquare check-in at a grocery store or restaurant is seemingly harmful, but think otherwise, this information translates to a tremendously large volume. The fact that you visit these places can be used strategically to understand your demographics, income level, interests and your entire lifestyle. For example, data collection companies can interpret this data by tracking your daily 9 a.m. visit to the grocery store and potentially circulating this information to a marketing company to bombard you with (estimated) perfectly personalized advertisements. The situation is much deeper if you make the purchase through one of the most popular Apple or Android paid services, detailed and exact payment receipts are saved to your account and may even be handled incorrectly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay So far, your daily 9am trip to the supermarket not only gives you your favorite time of day to shop, but also what you want to buy, how often you buy it, and whether or not you have skills of coupons. And because marketing works at its highest level when it's personalized, the industry has recently begun using AI (artificial intelligence) to refine the advertising process. For example, a simple AI tool could inform you that you head to this specific grocery store at approximately 9:12 am and reach your destination at 9:37 am, leaving a window of time for your occasional stop at a nearby coffee shop. All this information that you may not know or keep track of yourself, is already noted externally. On a less corporate and more personal scale, social media has aided in the malicious and ill-intentioned surveillance of countless users. Unfortunately, many of us are unaware of the levels to which simple posts can expose ourselves, in an attempt to socialize and share our daily thoughts and/or activities, we could potentially provide the ideal information a stalker would need. Popular and successful social media platforms make it relatively easy for users to share photos, location and even contact information, but who exactly is this sensitive information being shared with? This is an important question that every user must ask themselves to avoid being a potential victim of stalking. For example, "63% of Facebook profiles are visible to the public, which means that if you search for someone's name on Google and add "+Facebook" to the search bar you'll see pretty much the majority of the person's profile. A study on Facebook profiles of Carnegie Mellon University students revealed that approximately 800 profiles included current residents and at least two classes studied, theoretically allowing viewers to know the precise location of people at specific times. The typical user most likely thinks their location is harmless and of little importance, however, your current or past location makes it extremely easy for a cyber-stalker to hunt you down. Every move online leaves footprints..