social media risks

1. By: ELISHA BELLO
DP/IT/13/003A

2. • It is undoubtable that millions of internet users use social
media platforms daily for self expression, communication
and collaboration. As the revolution in social media
continues, we have to talk about the risk of computer-
mediated communication. Some of this risks are more
unique to social media, why some are relevant to nearly any
forms communication but may take new forms online. As all
social media is hosted somewhere and facilitated by
communication technologies, risks are also relevant to the
intermediaries that operate online platforms and
communication network.
INTRODUCTION

3. In a layman’s language social media risks can be classified
into two(2) i.e User risks and Service provider risks.

5. • Involuntary information revelation.
• Involuntary transfer of ownership of personal data or
content to third party.
• Commercial exploitation of user data.
• Identity theft.
• Stalking (online and offline).
• Surveillance by state and third parties.
PRIVACY AND SAFETY

6. • Harsh criticism and other negative reaction to one’s online
profile by friends and others.
• Usage of sensitive and inappropriate personal or third-party
content in self presentation (including copy-right
infringement).
• Complexity of translating and separating offline roles and
one’s image online.
• Peer pressure to involuntarily disclose personal information
to online network e.g(top friends, religion, relationship
status, e.t.c)
SELF-PRESENTATION

7. • Ease and speed of posting increases potential for social
blunders.
• Common private behavior crosses easily to public sphear
where it may be considered inappropriate or offensive.
• Insufficient separation of social circle.
• User can run afoul of lose that were previously more often
applied to mass media, professional content producers and
public persons (e.g defamation and sedition laws).
• Copyright infringement.
SELF-EXPRESSION

9. • Internet service providers and social media sites can be held
liable for copyright infringing or otherwise illegal content
that users post online.
• Active moderation of UGC not very effective and can expose
to greater liability when moderators fails to detect illegal
content.
LIABILITY FOR UGC

10. • Failure to turn over user data to authorities may results in
fines to the service provider.
• Compliance may also lead to liability when proper
procedure is not followed and user data is shared without
care.
• Commercial use of user data and sharing with third parties
for such purposes may also expose to risk of lawsuit (though
strength of laws on protection of user data vary across
jurisdictions)
USER DATA PROTECTION

11. • If users feels that the terms of service are not fair or that
the service provider will not protect their data and
privacy, they may switch to other platforms or stage online
protest.
• When the terms of service attempt to transfer ownership of
user data and/or UGC to provider, users will likely also
react negatively and possibly also switch to competing
platforms.
USER ALIENATION

12. To further express my points, various individuals have
made comments that have further open the doors of hidden
social media risks. For example: A police chief in a state in
the United State of America said that because people tend
to post a lot of personal information online, that makes it
an important tool for the police. It can therefore be seen
that personal data are not protected online due to evolving
tracking technologies.
It can therefore be said that social media risks out weight
its advantages.