Argument For Choosing The Security And Privacy Issue Of Facebook Expert Answer

Introduction

One of the major issue of Facebook is linked with privacy and security related features of the organization, which is mainly based on usage of third party applications who are offered access to personal information of users. This issue has the potential to offer serious physical, mental and financial harm to the individuals, which make it important issue for further exploration.

The Argument for choosing the security and privacy issue of Facebook

The privacy and security issue of Facebook is highly challenging for the tranquility of users as well as for long run success of Facebook as an organization. The information of users is not only revealed to their friends but the friends of friends might also become able to access the information. Additionally, it is noted that key security challenges have potential to offer substantial financial and physical damage to the users. Of these challenges, some encompass; the identity theft, intellectual property theft (such as, personal video or music), stalking, harassment and defamation (Young & Quan-Haase, 2009). The financial loss could be the result of intellectual property theft and also of identity theft, which could offer serious harm to user. Additionally, when financial transaction are made through Facebook with involvement of third party applications, then consequences could be in the form of severe financial loss (Young & Quan-Haase, 2009). It indicates that security and privacy issues of Facebook are only linked with revelation of user’s information, but it has serious outcomes.

The importance of the issue is further based on the notion that Facebook has made users addicted to the extent that in spite of knowing about its privacy and security challenges, it still has largest users’ base. It is noted by Leitch & Warren (2009) that even when users become aware of security and privacy challenges of Facebook, they continue to upload and reveal their personal information on Facebook. This notion clearly highlights that there prevails lack of awareness among users, regarding the seriousness of privacy and security challenges of using Facebook (Leitch & Warren, 2009). It calls for consideration of academicians to educate the students about responsible usage of social networking platforms, including Facebook. It will allow the users to make use of privacy and security features of Facebook to protect their personal information and will also encourage them to restrict the extent of information revelation.

Finally, the user specific security and privacy challenges are mainly considered as result of design level drawbacks, which enable third parties to gain access to user’s personal information (Mishra et al., 2012). In this respect, the issue calls for consideration of organization to bring modification in the design of platform, such that enhanced privacy and security can be offered to the users.

Conclusion

Regardless of seriousness of privacy and security issue of Facebook, users still upload plenty of their personal information on Facebook, which shows that potential of damage is substantial for them. The security related challenges can offer financial harm to the users and their personal information might be used for hurting their personal image. The education and awareness of users is necessary regarding the secure and responsible usage of the platform.

References

Leitch, S., & Warren, M. (2009, December). Security issues challenging Facebook. In Australian Information Security Management Conference (p. 16).

Mishra, S., Draus, P. J., Leone, G. J., & Caputo, D. J. (2012). An exploration of student attitudes on privacy/security issues: Facebook usage concerns and expectations. Issues in Information Systems, 13(1), 340-349.

Young, A. L., & Quan-Haase, A. (2009, June). Information revelation and internet privacy concerns on social network sites: a case study of facebook. In Proceedings of the fourth international conference on Communities and technologies (pp. 265-274).