Networked privacy beyond the individual: four perspectives to 'sharing'

Abstract

Synthesizing prior work, this paper provides conceptual grounding for understanding the dialectic of challenges and opportunities that social network sites present to social life. With the help of the framework of interpersonal boundary regulation, this paper casts privacy as something people do, together, instead of depicting it as a characteristic or a possession. I illustrate interpersonal aspects of networked privacy by outlining four perspectives to 'sharing'. These perspectives call for a rethink of networked privacy beyond an individual's online endeavors.