28 Feb Privacy in the social era 

I’ll start this reflection with the basics, meaning what we mean when we use the term “social media.” According to Kaplan and Haenlein’s definition, “social media are a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0 and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content”. With this definition, I want to focus on the internet and user-generated content because the combination of these two elements has created a world dominated by social media, allowing us to think we can do and say whatever we want.

We integrate social media into our daily lives to the point that they have become our “best friends.” We constantly share our opinions with others through social networks, often without even thinking about the consequences of our actions. As prosumers, we tend to believe most of the things we see on social media, which have become a kind of “verb” in which our personalities and individualities are slowly disappearing. The younger generation of users and creators is much more integrated into the media wave, becoming increasingly addicted to the different types of media networks available. The ability to create an online persona that can be completely different from the everyday one, to gain popularity by being oneself, to connect with people, to earn money, and to build one’s own career are all elements of social media’s success and dominance. Personally, I believe there’s currently a tendency to overshare on social media, especially on large platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. The veil between public and private has been destroyed by our actions, by our constant desire to show this emblematic, perfect life that we realistically don’t have but somehow continue to pursue. I mean, we’re human, after all.

We constantly criticize ourselves thinking that what we see on social networks is a reflection of other people’s lives, which may sometimes be true, but as we know and should remember, these social networks are made and should be a filter of what we voluntarily share, a segment that represents a moment in our daily lives. The point here isn’t that there’s no privacy in this world dominated by social media, but that we trade our privacy for something else. Just think about the fact that every time you sign up for a new social media platform, you’re asked to accept the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service before even having the opportunity to use the services offered, and I’m pretty sure most people click “Accept” without even reading them or wondering if the platform sells our data and preferences to third parties. According to The Norton LifeLock, previously known as Symantec, in order to protect your privacy on social media, there are some tips you should consider, such as:

a. Not sharing private information like full name and address;

b. Make sure the photos you post don’t reveal too much information that could easily allow others to track you or your family;

c. It’s also important to pay close attention to the information you agree to share when you sign up for a social media account and adjust the platform’s privacy settings;

d. You should know what kind of personal data the social media sites you use store and share, be aware of privacy concerns in the news, such as the Cambridge Analytica story, and ensure the information you are sharing today won’t become a source of problems for you tomorrow. I think this point is particularly important because, as a generation inundated with various social media platforms, we often tend to share what we want, overlooking the potential backlash between the information we share today and the future we aspire to. On this last point, I remember watching a young rapper on a talent show who almost got kicked out of a potentially life-changing program because some songs he had previously shared on social media were discovered and deemed sexist.

With this reflection I by no means intent to stop anyone from being their true authentic, euphoric self and expressing their thoughts online, just remember that people forget, internet stores; therefore, it’s very important to reflect on your online presence as it’s not as ephemeral as we think. The information you share today can be used against you tomorrow; so, reclaim your privacy and protect it, whether you’re online or offline.