Week 1 (L1 – L3)
Lecture 1
Notes L1 – Introduction, utopian and dystopian views on media infiltration (Martin
Tanis)
What are trends in media use?
• From push to pull: consumers choosing from large offering of media content
(youtube, on demand Blendle)
• Dissolving media boundaries: browsing internet on phone, listen radio on
laptop
• Increasing interactivity: online multiplayer games, chat functions on
webpages
• Content creation by “consumers”: social media (writing reviews, blogs,
vlogs, Instagram, Facebook)
Utopia: a community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect
qualities for its citizen
Dystopia: a community or society that is undesirable or frightening
Functions of utopian worldview:
• Optimism about the future
• Strong belief in technological development
• Push to invest in technological developments
• Cultural change towards individuation and individual empowerment
Lecture 2
L2 A1 – Introduction to Privacy Online – Walther, J.B. (2011)
Three complicating factors that have and continue to confront users of online
systems include:
1. A misplaced presumption that online behavior is private
2. That the nature of the Internet at a mechanical level is quite incommensurate
with privacy
3. That one’s expectation of privacy does not constitute privileged
communication by definition
The psychological privacy afforded by communication channels may lull users into a
false assumption of informational privacy.
,The nature of systems’ architectures facilitates, if not determine, the propagation of
social information → “sharability” characteristic of social media
Debatin: “ignorance and a false sense of security (that) play an important role” in
users’ approach to the privacy of their online postings.
L2 A2 – Self-Disclosure in Social Media: Extending the Functional Approach to
Disclosure Motivations and Characteristics on Social Network Sites – Bazarova, N.
N., & Choi, Y. H. (2014)
Self-disclosure is “the act of revealing personal information to others”
• Disclosure fullfills fundamental needs for social connectedness and belonging
and is intrinsically rewarding
• But it also carries inherent risks of vulnerability and information loss because a
discloser gives up some degree of privacy and personal control
Thus, disclosure decisions and strategies reflect a balance of conflicting needs aimed
at maximizing strategic rewards and minimizing personal risks.
→ A common strategy for optimizing the disclosure rewards–risks ratio is to
establish a dyadic boundary within which a discloser shares personal
information with a trusted recipient
Although self-disclosures on SNSs can be shared dyadically or selectively with a
certain group of recipients many of them are publicly shared with a whole network of
“friends” or followers.
Two types of disclosure:
• Broadcasting disclosures (public) → main goal is impression management
• Dyadic disclosures (private) → main goal is relational development
Social rewards through self-disclosure for individuals:
• Social validation: validate one’s self-concept and self-value by increasing
social approval, social acceptance, and general liking
• Self-expression: helps relieve distress through venting out negative emotions
and disclosing problems
• Relational development: seeks to increase relational intimacy and closeness
with another person
• Identity clarification: conveys information about one’s identity and defines
one’s position for self and others
• Social control: conveys information about one’s identity and defines one’s
position for self and others
Activators of disclosure goals:
, • Personality characteristics: arrange pursuit of certain disclosure rewards
• Situational cues: increase accessibility and salience of a reward
Notes L2 – Introduction to Online Privacy (Martin Tanis)
Three theoretical perspectives on privacy:
1. Westin, 1967: Political-scientific approach → privacy in interaction with others
2. Altman, 1975: Psychological approach → privacy for the self (wellbeing and
identity regulation)
3. Petronio, 2002: Communication approach → privacy as information ownership
and sharing
Westin, 1967
Privacy is a basic need which helps us adjust to day-to-day interpersonal
interactions.
Privacy is:
• a dynamic process (we regulate privacy so as to serve momentary needs
and role requirements)
• non-monotonic (you can have such a thing as too little, just enough, or not
enough privacy)
Purposes of privacy – functions of privacy (what is privacy):
1. Personal autonomy: not being manipulated
− Realization of individual choices
− Personal development
− Stable relationships
2. Emotional release: freedom from roles outside expectations
− To relax / let go
− To escape from stress
− To 'be oneself'
− Anger, grief, frustration etc.
3. Self evaluation: freedom to think, process information and make plans
− Process and evaluate information
− Make/change plans
− Be creative
4. Limited and protected boundaries: ability to limit who has access to what
information
− What to share
− With whom
− And when
States of privacy – means behind the functions (how can privacy be achieved):
, Observation:
1. Solitude: no observation from others
2. Intimacy: small group of people with a strong bond
Identification:
3. Reserve: the right not to share some information, respected by others
4. Anonymity: the right not to be identified
Altman, 1975
Privacy regulation theory → privacy is “a selective control of access to the self or
to one's group”
Five elements of privacy:
1. Dynamic Process: individuals regulate what they (do or not) want to share
differently, depending on the situational or social context.
2. Individuals vs Group level: individuals perceive their own privacy differently
from that of their community/family.
3. Desired vs Actual level: desired level of privacy might be lower/higher than
the other individuals have in the given context.
4. Non-monotonic: there is such a thing as both too much and not sufficient
privacy.
− The stranger on the train: disclose more when future interaction isn't
probable
− The Sauna principle: we're comfortable sharing very sensitive
information either with people we're really close to or not close at all.
5. By-directional (inwards and outwards): individuals might have different
sensitivities for their actions towards others’ privacy and others’ actions
towards them.
Petronio, 2002
Communication privacy management: we need to regulate boundaries we put
between ourselves and others. Altman: “privacy is the selective control of access to
the self.”
Context Collapse
Definition: the “flattening out of multiple distinct audiences in one's social network,
such that people from different contexts become part of a singular group of message
recipients.”
In practice, this means that while audiences online are diverse and complex the
information users share tends to present a single, individual identity.
Lecture 1
Notes L1 – Introduction, utopian and dystopian views on media infiltration (Martin
Tanis)
What are trends in media use?
• From push to pull: consumers choosing from large offering of media content
(youtube, on demand Blendle)
• Dissolving media boundaries: browsing internet on phone, listen radio on
laptop
• Increasing interactivity: online multiplayer games, chat functions on
webpages
• Content creation by “consumers”: social media (writing reviews, blogs,
vlogs, Instagram, Facebook)
Utopia: a community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect
qualities for its citizen
Dystopia: a community or society that is undesirable or frightening
Functions of utopian worldview:
• Optimism about the future
• Strong belief in technological development
• Push to invest in technological developments
• Cultural change towards individuation and individual empowerment
Lecture 2
L2 A1 – Introduction to Privacy Online – Walther, J.B. (2011)
Three complicating factors that have and continue to confront users of online
systems include:
1. A misplaced presumption that online behavior is private
2. That the nature of the Internet at a mechanical level is quite incommensurate
with privacy
3. That one’s expectation of privacy does not constitute privileged
communication by definition
The psychological privacy afforded by communication channels may lull users into a
false assumption of informational privacy.
,The nature of systems’ architectures facilitates, if not determine, the propagation of
social information → “sharability” characteristic of social media
Debatin: “ignorance and a false sense of security (that) play an important role” in
users’ approach to the privacy of their online postings.
L2 A2 – Self-Disclosure in Social Media: Extending the Functional Approach to
Disclosure Motivations and Characteristics on Social Network Sites – Bazarova, N.
N., & Choi, Y. H. (2014)
Self-disclosure is “the act of revealing personal information to others”
• Disclosure fullfills fundamental needs for social connectedness and belonging
and is intrinsically rewarding
• But it also carries inherent risks of vulnerability and information loss because a
discloser gives up some degree of privacy and personal control
Thus, disclosure decisions and strategies reflect a balance of conflicting needs aimed
at maximizing strategic rewards and minimizing personal risks.
→ A common strategy for optimizing the disclosure rewards–risks ratio is to
establish a dyadic boundary within which a discloser shares personal
information with a trusted recipient
Although self-disclosures on SNSs can be shared dyadically or selectively with a
certain group of recipients many of them are publicly shared with a whole network of
“friends” or followers.
Two types of disclosure:
• Broadcasting disclosures (public) → main goal is impression management
• Dyadic disclosures (private) → main goal is relational development
Social rewards through self-disclosure for individuals:
• Social validation: validate one’s self-concept and self-value by increasing
social approval, social acceptance, and general liking
• Self-expression: helps relieve distress through venting out negative emotions
and disclosing problems
• Relational development: seeks to increase relational intimacy and closeness
with another person
• Identity clarification: conveys information about one’s identity and defines
one’s position for self and others
• Social control: conveys information about one’s identity and defines one’s
position for self and others
Activators of disclosure goals:
, • Personality characteristics: arrange pursuit of certain disclosure rewards
• Situational cues: increase accessibility and salience of a reward
Notes L2 – Introduction to Online Privacy (Martin Tanis)
Three theoretical perspectives on privacy:
1. Westin, 1967: Political-scientific approach → privacy in interaction with others
2. Altman, 1975: Psychological approach → privacy for the self (wellbeing and
identity regulation)
3. Petronio, 2002: Communication approach → privacy as information ownership
and sharing
Westin, 1967
Privacy is a basic need which helps us adjust to day-to-day interpersonal
interactions.
Privacy is:
• a dynamic process (we regulate privacy so as to serve momentary needs
and role requirements)
• non-monotonic (you can have such a thing as too little, just enough, or not
enough privacy)
Purposes of privacy – functions of privacy (what is privacy):
1. Personal autonomy: not being manipulated
− Realization of individual choices
− Personal development
− Stable relationships
2. Emotional release: freedom from roles outside expectations
− To relax / let go
− To escape from stress
− To 'be oneself'
− Anger, grief, frustration etc.
3. Self evaluation: freedom to think, process information and make plans
− Process and evaluate information
− Make/change plans
− Be creative
4. Limited and protected boundaries: ability to limit who has access to what
information
− What to share
− With whom
− And when
States of privacy – means behind the functions (how can privacy be achieved):
, Observation:
1. Solitude: no observation from others
2. Intimacy: small group of people with a strong bond
Identification:
3. Reserve: the right not to share some information, respected by others
4. Anonymity: the right not to be identified
Altman, 1975
Privacy regulation theory → privacy is “a selective control of access to the self or
to one's group”
Five elements of privacy:
1. Dynamic Process: individuals regulate what they (do or not) want to share
differently, depending on the situational or social context.
2. Individuals vs Group level: individuals perceive their own privacy differently
from that of their community/family.
3. Desired vs Actual level: desired level of privacy might be lower/higher than
the other individuals have in the given context.
4. Non-monotonic: there is such a thing as both too much and not sufficient
privacy.
− The stranger on the train: disclose more when future interaction isn't
probable
− The Sauna principle: we're comfortable sharing very sensitive
information either with people we're really close to or not close at all.
5. By-directional (inwards and outwards): individuals might have different
sensitivities for their actions towards others’ privacy and others’ actions
towards them.
Petronio, 2002
Communication privacy management: we need to regulate boundaries we put
between ourselves and others. Altman: “privacy is the selective control of access to
the self.”
Context Collapse
Definition: the “flattening out of multiple distinct audiences in one's social network,
such that people from different contexts become part of a singular group of message
recipients.”
In practice, this means that while audiences online are diverse and complex the
information users share tends to present a single, individual identity.
