Exploring informational privacy perceptions in the context of online social networks: A phenomenology perspective

• Published in: Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
• Main Author: Mior Ibrahim E.N.
• Format: Conference paper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79960300683&doi=10.1007%2f978-3-642-21793-7_37&partnerID=40&md5=32183f2aeb95d28b9b4447bd78932113
• ISSN: 16113349
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-21793-7_37

The paper presents a conceptual framework of informational privacy dimensions and its elements in the context of social networks that derived from the understanding of the user's perceptions based on a focus group interview. Phenomenology approach is adopted as it enables us to discover the lived experiences of the people involved rather using a survey or a self reported attitude studies for online social networks investigation where users tend to depart from their usual practices which is proven to be biased. It is found that the main dimensions of the informational privacy within the context of online social networks are (1) limited communication dimension that has the element of sharing of personal information with trusted others (2) release of personal information dimension that has the element of content control and the amount of personal information being released; and (3) control dimension that has the element of the ability to control over information about oneself. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.