:: Article Review: Facebook and Online Privacy: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Unintended Consequences ::

Article Review:

Facebook and Online Privacy: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Unintended Consequences

Bernhard Debatin, Jenette P.Lovejoy, Ann-Kathrin Horn, Brittany N.Huges

2009

http://www.lib.sfu.ca/sites/default/files/10227/facebook10.pdf

Facebook is becoming favorable among people of all ages these days. Some people are devoted to this social network and get too attached with it. The widespread of technologies have pointed to privacy and relationship menace. Facebook is one of the most famous social network services that preferred by most. This research used both qualitative and quantitative methods. A survey was done among undergraduates’ students at a big university in the Midwestern United States during Spring 2007. Three theoretical approached was used, the three media theories are:

1.    The uses and gratification theory

       How people use media to fulfill their various need

   (Blumler and Katz, 1974;LaRose, Mastro, & Eastin, 2001; Rosengren, Palmgreen, & Wenner, 1985)

2.    The third person effect theory

       People expect that mass media to have a greater impact on others rather than on themselves

(Brosius & Engal, 1996;Salwen & Dupagne, 2000)

3.    The ritualized media use theory

      Media are not just consume for informational and entertainment use, they are also   habitually use as part as people’s everyday life routines

(Couldry, 2002; Liebes & Curran 1998;Pros, 1992; Rubin, 1984)

First and foremost the study are about finding the interchange between online social networking (Facebook) and privacy concern. The findings shows that even Facebook users have knowledge about privacy setting, they still did not avail with it. Secondly, it is clear that users are alert of the advantages of social media and the risk. Besides, they also identify others privacy exposure rather then their own. (Third person effect theory). Finally, Facebook has becoming a routine and rituals. Users keep in touch with colleague using this media. This somehow has lead to unintentional consequences where rumors spread out swiftly. The worth thing about privacy is when users misbehave by hacking others’ profile and intrude them.

Overall, this is mainly about behavior. The does and don’t that people did not practice when they are in cyber world. They opt to know other people life and at the same time they expose their personal life to others. According to Islam, we have to keep our privacy away from others and it’s forbidden by Islam to interfere with other peoples live. 

On the authority of Abu Hurairah (r) who said:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُوْلُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: مِنْ حُسْنِ  إِسْلاَمِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لاَ يَعْنِيْهِ 

“Part of the perfection of someone’s Islam is leaving alone that which does not concern him”
(Hadith hasan - Recorded by Tirmidhi)

Spreading rumors and intrude others are a big sin. Users neglect the way Islam taught to live in and that’s why they misbehave.

In brief, before Facebook was invented, people still can live to keep in touch, communicate and etc. But now with all the social networks provided, people still can live without it but technologies make us live in a dashing and simple life. The major problem is how it is utilize. As the technologies grow each day, the practice of Islam in cyber world should grow together. People should be educating more about cyber world in Islamic ways. Thus, it will automatically set the barriers to all when they’re in it.

 XOXO

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Author, Bernhard Debatin, Author Jenette P.Lovejoy, Author Ann-Kathrin Horn, and Author Brittany N.Huges (2009). Facebook and Online Privacy: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Unintended Consequences. Retrieved from     http://www.lib.sfu.ca/sites/default/files/10227/facebook10.pdf

An-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths(Translation) 
http://www.iium.edu.my/deed/hadith/other/hadithnawawi.html