Abstract
Social media data is extensively used for various purposes, from personal conveniences to predicting global events. With over 4.62 billion users on social media, user confidentiality has become paramount. Many platforms provide free access to user-generated content. This open-source approach aids academic and research work but poses threats to user privacy. This paper, through extensive literature review, explores potential solutions to address privacy concerns.
Background
Data Privacy in Social Media World
Social media offers affordable, efficient communication, evidenced by its rapid growth [1]. Yet, sharing personal details inadvertently exposes users to privacy breaches [2]. For instance, inadvertently sharing one’s location during a medical visit might reveal health information. Any unauthorized publication of personal information, sensitive or not, compromises privacy [3].
Issue memo
Online Social Networks (OSNs) like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, allow users to share personal updates. However, some shared content should remain private. Personal data protection became essential after recognizing its potential harm. [4] The processing of personal data is now legally regulated, upholding it as a fundamental right, either as a privacy right or specifically for personal data protection . Still, with the rise of OSNs, more sensitive information is accessible online. The inconsistency in data privacy laws across over 100 countries makes it challenging for companies to market products globally.
Impacts
Privacy is a fundamental human right. [5] Large platforms like Facebook, with over 2.3 billion users, manage vast amounts of data. For example, in April 2018, unauthorized parties accessed the personal data of a million Indonesian Facebook users, creating a public outcry and raising concerns about privacy. Possible impacts of such breaches include:
- Reputation and Legal Liability: Unauthorized users might misuse public photos from social networks to deceive or misrepresent. Due to open source agreements, platforms might only delete infringing accounts upon request, seldom pursuing legal action.
- Identity Clone Attacks: Attackers might create fake profiles using stolen credentials, leading to online fraud.
- Stalking Risk: Sharing location data on platforms like Instagram might expose users to potential stalkers.
- Classic Threats: The advent of OSNs has seen a resurgence of spam, malware, phishing, and cross-site scripting attacks.
- Medical Data Exploitation: Unintentional location data leaks might lead to targeted ads based on recent medical visits.
Data privacy and Data ownership
In regions like the UK and EU, data protection laws such as the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA) and General Data Protection Regulations 2016 (GDPR) govern personal data usage [6]. They enforce principles ensuring data’s legality, fairness, accuracy, and security. Yet, implementing these principles, especially regarding data collection, processing, and deletion, remains a challenge. The emergence of smart contracts offers potential solutions, offering transparency and a sense of data ownership. However, while promising, emerging technologies have limitations and challenges to overcome.
Conclusion
Data privacy is integral to individual safety and societal trust. While there are myriad benefits to online platforms and data sharing, the potential for misuse is alarming. With varying legal landscapes worldwide, finding a universal solution is challenging. Technological advancements like blockchain offer hope, but their practicality and effectiveness need rigorous evaluation.
References
[1] D. M. Boyd and N. B. Ellison, “Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship,” Journal of computer-mediated Communication, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 210–230, 2007.
[2] T. Zhu, J. Li, X. Hu, P. Xiong, and W. Zhou, “The dynamic privacy preserving mechanisms for online dynamic social networks,” IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering, vol. PP, no. 99, pp. 1–1, 2020.
[3]Hu, Xiangyu et al. “Privacy Data Propagation and Preservation in Social Media: a Real-world Case Study.” IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering (2021): n. Pag1-2.
[4]Warren, S., & Brandeis, L. D. (1890). The right to privacy. Harvard Law Review, 4(5), 193-220.
[5]United Nations. (1948). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. [https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/]
[6] Zhang R, Xue R, Liu L. Security and privacy on blockchain. ACM Comput Surv. 2019.