The Power and Politics of Privacy on Social Networking Sites

Case 12.1- The Power and Politics of Privacy on Social Networking Sites                

Webster University

Lauren A. Pierce

MNGT 5990-46

Dr. French

1.    I do not post a lot on social media networking sites because I fear that the information that I am posting can be taken out of context.  Often I find a friend or a family member calling me because they have misinterpreted my post.   Also, I noticed that I was using google search to purchase an item for a gift and logged into Facebook the gift I was considering to buy was in the advertisement section.  I don’t like being watched or like my behavior patterns on the internet to be tracked.  It is an invasion of privacy.

2.    The tactics that Zuckerberg used after changing the original terms of use on Facebook were consultation and coalition.  He used consultation by using a place for users to provide their ideas, allowing users to participate in planning the next action.  The site also incorporated coalition tactics.  Zuckerberg could use feedback on the site to help persuade other users to support his decisions.

3.    Power is the ability to direct or influence a behavior of others or a course of events. Therefore, I believe that the users have the power.   The power is equally distributed amongst the various groups listed in the case study. Users have the power because the other groups could not exist without the users posting his/her information on the social networking sites.  However, the power of user group is very limited because they are not an organized group.  The social networking companies have power because they provide access to the users. Advertising firms have power because they are providing funding to the social media network companies.  Privacy advocacy groups have power because they can unite users. In this scenario, technology companies would have the least amount of power. It is because the social media companies have already accomplished this task.  Finally, governments will always have power because they have the ability to create, modify, or eradicate laws affecting privacy issues.