This site began as a place to gather my observations about privacy, a riff on my dissertation with the intention of contributing more broadly. Over time, privacy experts have emerged from all disciplines with all types of background and training. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These ‘Posts’ will be more academic in nature, while other sections of the site will be more practical, addressing the application of privacy in various fields. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To begin, my philosophical approach:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A person may not be certain what \u2018privacy\u2019 is but they care deeply about it. You can prove this by trying to open a locked stall door from the outside next time you are in a public bathroom. The concept of privacy is strong in each of us, we mediate what we say, to whom we say it and where. In mediating conversations we are each asserting control over what information we disclose about ourselves and others. That information includes not only our thoughts and opinions, but our behaviour itself. We act, speak and even dress differently when we are at work, a pub with some friends or at home alone. These decisions, to dress, speak and behave in accordance with our environment are sprinkled throughout our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social Impacts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In society, privacy also has a group preservation function; by allowing people to periodically separate from one another, we can remain in relationships (Schwartz<\/a>, 1968). We each determine how much privacy we need, from whom and when throughout our day. As the days change, so do we, and our privacy preferences accordingly (Westin<\/a>, 1967).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The development of computing marked a change in how people interact with machines, and eventually with each other. Indeed, \u201c(t)he prospect of enhanced or changed flows of information among people raises many other social psychological issues\u201d (Kiesler, Siegel, & McGuire<\/a>, 1984). In some cases, computing devices themselves have become the source for mediating our conversations and information disclosure choices (Turkle<\/a>, 2011).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Computer Mediated Communications<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are 6 aspects of social psychology in Computer Mediated Communications that have a direct privacy impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In essence, electronic communication has significantly fewer non-verbal and contextual cues that would normally be used by people to guide information disclosures.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This site began as a place to gather my observations about privacy, a riff on my dissertation with the intention of contributing more broadly. Over time, privacy experts have emerged from all disciplines with all types of background and training. These ‘Posts’ will be more academic in nature, while other sections of the site will … <\/p>\n\n