Hiding Self on Facebook Sidebar Ticker, Surveillance, and Privacy

Abstract

We could think of sidebar ticker as the same function of sidewalk, where people post messages, share information, or upload photos is just like they talk, photograph, or jog on the street. People don’t feel being seen is offended when they are active down the street, but on social networks they feel different, mostly because they would expect Facebook as a virtual personal space. Unfortunately, it is public based on opinions of the court. Another concept to clarify is that public is not equivalent to “open to the public.” Facebook might create a public space, and users should realize that the surveillance to them is the same fact on social networks as in society. However, users still have the right to decide their own conducts and exclude others from arbitrary interference, access, collection, and data usage.

The structure of this chapter is divided into four parts: ticker and privacy settings, surveillance on Facebook, discussion on privacy and public, and open to the public. In conclusion, we might expect to monitor others, hiding self behind the screen. We might feel safety hiding self in the crowd. However, social networks should be understood as a digitalized society with interaction, instead of a private space alone. Thus, we have to understand what real surveillance on social networks is. In this way, we can truly and effectively exercise the right to privacy.