2003 · 144 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesPsychologySocial PsychologyCommunication TheoryCybercrimeInterpersonal CommunicationData PrivacyData ProtectionPrivacy EthicsPrivacy LawPrivacy PolicyPrivacyPrivacy Decision-makingPrivacy DialecticsPrivacy In Close RelationshipsPrivacy ManagementPrivacy NormsPrivacy SettingsSocio-technical Systems
Privacy is a dominant concern for interactive technologies, yet analytic reasoning is limited and conceptual frameworks are lacking, making it hard to unpack interrelated privacy issues in IT settings. The authors outline a dynamic, dialectic model of privacy based on Irwin Altman’s social psychology theory. They discuss three tensions that govern interpersonal privacy management and apply them to technology case studies from the literature. These analyses suggest new practical ways to think about privacy in socio‑technical environments.
Although privacy is broadly recognized as a dominant concern for the development of novel interactive technologies, our ability to reason analytically about privacy in real settings is limited. A lack of conceptual interpretive frameworks makes it difficult to unpack interrelated privacy issues in settings where information technology is also present. Building on theory developed by social psychologist Irwin Altman, we outline a model of privacy as a dynamic, dialectic process. We discuss three tensions that govern interpersonal privacy management in everyday life, and use these to explore select technology case studies drawn from the research literature. These suggest new ways for thinking about privacy in socio-technical environments as a practical matter.