Privacy and Social Media: Do Users Really Care?

Over the last decade, social media networks have experienced explosive growth. Social media has become a common form of communication for most people, and the average person spends more and more time in front of the computer. We are exposing ourselves online, and consequently leaving more personal information on the Internet than ever before. Resulting in personalization and individualism being the drivers of the networks, and this has been made possible by huge amounts of data. The thesis studies to what degree users care about privacy on social media platforms. To investigate to what extent users share information and are aware of information being shared with third-party companies, we constructed the following research questions; 1. Do social media networks protect the personal information of their users in the same fashion or are there any differences? 2. Other than the social media network itself, who else collects information about its users and how is the information spread between parties? 3. What do social media users know in the terms of how and how much information is being spread? Do they care? Through a documentation analysis, the thesis has examined the documentations provided by different social media networks. The thesis has analysed different third-party companies present on various websites. A mapping of these finding was done to illustrate the large web they conclude. Through conducting a user survey, the thesis gained insight into Norwegian social media users habits and their knowledge concerning the discussed topics. An evaluation of our findings ultimately leads to the conclusion of the privacy paradox holding true for the users involved in our study. We found that users claim to care about privacy online and that many have knowledge concerning the aspects analysed. However, they do not read the documentation and still utilise the services provided without having a clear understanding of how the technologies work on the Internet

Privacy and Social Media: Do Users Really Care?

Over the last decade, social media networks have experienced explosive growth. Social media has become a common form of communication for most people, and the average person spends more and more time in front of the computer. We are exposing ourselves online, and consequently leaving more personal information on the Internet than ever before. Resulting in personalization and individualism being the drivers of the networks, and this has been made possible by huge amounts of data. The thesis studies to what degree users care about privacy on social media platforms. To investigate to what extent users share information and are aware of information being shared with third-party companies, we constructed the following research questions; 1. Do social media networks protect the personal information of their users in the same fashion or are there any differences? 2. Other than the social media network itself, who else collects information about its users and how is the information spread between parties? 3. What do social media users know in the terms of how and how much information is being spread? Do they care? Through a documentation analysis, the thesis has examined the documentations provided by different social media networks. The thesis has analysed different third-party companies present on various websites. A mapping of these finding was done to illustrate the large web they conclude. Through conducting a user survey, the thesis gained insight into Norwegian social media users habits and their knowledge concerning the discussed topics. An evaluation of our findings ultimately leads to the conclusion of the privacy paradox holding true for the users involved in our study. We found that users claim to care about privacy online and that many have knowledge concerning the aspects analysed. However, they do not read the documentation and still utilise the services provided without having a clear understanding of how the technologies work on the Internet

“We always ask about the weather”:Using visual mapping to understand how transnational migrant networks share beliefs and values on environmental change

The objective of this study is to investigate how transnational and translocal migrant networks contribute to knowledge acquisition, resource sharing, and collaborations related to environmental change adaptation. By using a combination of qualitative interviews and novel visual mapping techniques, this study seeks to understand how and by whom remittances are shared, including digital mobilities (e.g., social media and other forms of digital communication). By doing so, more insights can be gained in how and which kind of knowledge is shared among migrant networks, and which actors and knowledge exchanges yield specific impacts on environmental change. Using data obtained from 19 Moroccan migrants living in Tenerife, the research aims to elucidate patterns, clusters, and relationships within migrant networks to facilitate a comprehensive understanding of their role in addressing environmental change challenges. Our findings reveal that community networks not only foster collective awareness and action on environmental change through shared experiences and mutual support but also emphasize the significance of decentralized, community-led approaches due to personal narratives within social networks. Moreover, digital mobilities, especially social media, play a crucial role in disseminating knowledge and mobilizing support for environmental change

Privacy and Social Media: Do Users Really Care?

Over the last decade, social media networks have experienced explosive growth. Social media has become a common form of communication for most people, and the average person spends more and more time in front of the computer. We are exposing ourselves online, and consequently leaving more personal information on the Internet than ever before. Resulting in personalization and individualism being the drivers of the networks, and this has been made possible by huge amounts of data. The thesis studies to what degree users care about privacy on social media platforms. To investigate to what extent users share information and are aware of information being shared with third-party companies, we constructed the following research questions; 1. Do social media networks protect the personal information of their users in the same fashion or are there any differences? 2. Other than the social media network itself, who else collects information about its users and how is the information spread between parties? 3. What do social media users know in the terms of how and how much information is being spread? Do they care? Through a documentation analysis, the thesis has examined the documentations provided by different social media networks. The thesis has analysed different third-party companies present on various websites. A mapping of these finding was done to illustrate the large web they conclude. Through conducting a user survey, the thesis gained insight into Norwegian social media users habits and their knowledge concerning the discussed topics. An evaluation of our findings ultimately leads to the conclusion of the privacy paradox holding true for the users involved in our study. We found that users claim to care about privacy online and that many have knowledge concerning the aspects analysed. However, they do not read the documentation and still utilise the services provided without having a clear understanding of how the technologies work on the Internet

Cross-Domain Discovery of Communication Peers. Identity Mapping and Discovery Services (IMaDS)

The upcoming WebRTC-based browser-to-browser communication services present new challenges for user discovery in peer-to-peer mode. Even more so, if we wish to enable different web communication services to interact. This paper presents Identity Mapping and Discovery Service (IMaDS), a global, scalable, service independent discovery service that enables users of web-based peer-to-peer applications to discover other users whom to communicate with. It also provides reachability and presence information. For that, user identities need to be mapped to any compatible service identity as well as to a globally unique, service-independent identity. This mapping and discovery process is suitable for multiple identifier formats and personal identifying properties, but it supports user-determined privacy options. IMaDS operates across different service domains dynamically, using context information. Users and devices have profiles containing context and other specific information that can be discovered by a search engine. The search results reveal the user's allocated globally unique identifier (GUID), which is then resolved to a list of the user's service domains identities, using a DHT-based directory service. Service-specific directories allow tracking of active endpoints, where users are currently logged on and can be contacted.Comment: Accepted for publication at the 2017 European Conference on Networks and Communications (EuCNC

Making sense of assets: Community asset mapping and related approaches for cultivating capacities

This working paper critically reviews some main aspects from asset based approaches highlights key strengths and weaknesses for future research/development. Drawing on a large body of reports and relevant literature we draw on different theoretical traditions and critiques, as well as practices and processes embedded within a broad range of approaches including, widely acknowledged frameworks such Asset Based Community Development (ABCD), Appreciative Inquiry (AI), Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SLA) and Community Capitals Framework (CCF). Although these are presented as distinct approaches, there is a sense of evolution through them and many of them overlap (in terms of both theories and methodologies). We also include emerging frameworks, including geographical, socio-spatial, visual and creative approaches, stemming from a number of projects within AHRC’s Connected Communities programme and additional collaborations

Piensa globalmente, actúa localmente: mapeo de la cultura libre en un sistema mediático híbrido

From the nineties, the Internet has been providing new political hybrid action forms. At the same time, some communities make a disruptive use of technologies aiming to subvert network power relationships at the current capitalized and centralized cyberspace. Addressing a collaborative mapping, we identified 290 free culture communities in Spain. Their characteristics suggest the relevance of offline spaces and local areas to deliberate, propose and perform political participation towards a neutral, centralised and free Internet.Desde los años noventa, el ciberespacio ha propuesto formas acción política híbrida. Asimismo, algunos colectivos realizan un uso disruptivo de las tecnologías para subvertir las relaciones de poder en la Red. Mediante un mapeo colaborativo, identificamos 290 grupos relacionados con la cultura libre en España. Sus características sugieren la relevancia de los espacios offline y de los territorios locales para deliberar y activarse políticamente a favor de un Internet libre

Technology for Good: Innovative Use of Technology by Charities

Technology for Good identifies ten technologies being used by charitable organizations in innovative ways. The report briefly introduces each technology and provides examples of how those technologies are being used.Examples are drawn from a broad spectrum of organizations working on widely varied issues around the globe. This makes Technology for Good a unique repository of inspiration for the public and private sectors, funders, and other change makers who support the creation and use of technology for social good