The Social Media Privacy Model: Privacy and Communication in the Light of Social Media Affordances

TLDR

Privacy is defined as selective control of information sharing, yet on social media users’ informational control has become increasingly difficult. The article reviews the role of control in privacy theory and develops an understanding of online privacy in which communication is the core regulatory mechanism. The model proposes that privacy in social media is interdependently perceived and valued, that interpersonal communication is the primary mechanism for ensuring privacy, and that trust and norms crystallize privacy communication. The theoretical development yields a definition of privacy and a social media privacy model, showing that privacy cannot always be achieved through control alone. Further materials are available at https://osf.io/xhqjy/.

Abstract

Abstract Privacy has been defined as the selective control of information sharing, where control is key. For social media, however, an individual user’s informational control has become more difficult. In this theoretical article, I review how the term control is part of theorizing on privacy, and I develop an understanding of online privacy with communication as the core mechanism by which privacy is regulated. The results of this article’s theoretical development are molded into a definition of privacy and the social media privacy model. The model is based on four propositions: Privacy in social media is interdependently perceived and valued. Thus, it cannot always be achieved through control. As an alternative, interpersonal communication is the primary mechanism by which to ensure social media privacy. Finally, trust and norms function as mechanisms that represent crystallized privacy communication. Further materials are available at https://osf.io/xhqjy/