Privacy and Control in Online Social Profiles: Toward a Typology of Users

摘要

This poster uses Q methodology to investigate subjectivernperspectives on privacy of and control over social networkrnprofiles. Earlier research using interview and focus grouprntechniques suggests that the default conception of onlinernsocial networks is as public spaces where there is little orrnno expectation of control over content or distribution. Thisrnconception, however, applies largely to information postedrnby others, and participants frame their own onlinernparticipation in different ways. The current study explicitlyrninvestigates these different subjective perspectives. Thernresults suggest three different user profiles or privacyrnorientations: one group views their online profiles as spacesrnfor social display, but exert control over content andrnaudience; a second group treats their profiles as spaces forrnopen social display, exercising little control over eitherrncontent or audience; and a third group views social networkrnprofiles as places to post personal information to arncontrolled audience. These different perspectives lead torndifferent privacy needs and expectations.