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Navigating Life, One Goal at a Time

Hey there! I’m Randy—a family man, soccer enthusiast, and lifelong learner. Whether I’m cheering on SVD Beaumont or balancing my studies as a senior at Lamar University, my passion for growth and teamwork is at the heart of everything I do. With graduation just around the corner in May, I’m excited to take the next step toward pursuing my master’s degree.

By day, I work as a Data Center Engineer at Amazon, tackling the complexities of technology and innovation. But when I’m not deep in the world of data centers, you can find me on the soccer field, enjoying quality time with family, or planning my next big adventure.

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Social Media Privacy

Social Media Privacy

Social Media Privacy

Accepting the terms of service on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, iTunes, X, and YouTube allows these platforms to access the user’s data. “Privacy is not something that I am merely entitled to, it’s an absolute prerequisite.” — Marlon Brando (Shipman, 1989) When reading these agreements, it is important to understand how data collection, storage, and sharing with third parties become the platform’s right. Interestingly, another agreement from a platform, Grammarly, makes all material shared property of Grammarly. This made it a black-balled platform for my current employer. Users can keep their personal information safe online by understanding privacy settings and regulatory protections.

Let’s face it: most users do not read the terms of service. Like assignment instruction, a quick once-over skimming of the high points is the best that most of us ever do. This leads to problems with the details. They often require the customer’s consent to be tracked, and personal data collected and sold. “Poll after poll shows that Americans are increasingly concerned about their loss of privacy; and those same polls show that Americans don’t know what to do about it.” — Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (Commerce Senate, 2011). Retailers have utilized platforms that use browsing habits to get locations and improve advertising to market their products to potential consumers. Some of these companies still have rights to the data after a user deletes their account, making the personal information almost impossible to remove. The dilemma of privacy and ease of use is squarely on the consumer.

A few tricks and settings can help. First, turn off ad tracking on your social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These settings can be disabled. Second, enable two-factor authentication. This increases security on accounts like X and Instagram. Last, restrict the visibility of your profile. Setting account restrictions gives you more control over what is shared or seen.

Ownership of online content is important to obtain. Once you share information online, it is hard to erase. Social media platforms often keep user data. By staying in control of personal content, the risk of identity theft and online harassment is greatly reduced. Finally, being mindful of your digital presence will also protect your personal and professional reputation. “Individuals often strive to shape their identities by choosing which information and images they share with others (Ekstrand et al., 2024).”   Everything does not need to be shared or posted.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the government agency tasked with protecting our privacy. “Privacy is a key ingredient for sustaining consumer trust, which in turn is critical to realize the full potential for innovation and the growth of the Internet.” — Cameron F. Kerry, General Counsel, U.S. Department of Commerce (Commerce Senate, 2011). The FTC protects users from deceptive practices and unauthorized collection of data. One act is the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. It protects children and minors from poor data collection and distribution practices. The Gramm-Leach-bailey Act ensures that banks and other financial institutions protect private and sensitive consumer information. When a company violates regulations, the FTC fines and enforces corrective actions to ensure that companies comply with the laws.

It’s on the user to be proactive in ensuring privacy settings are in place and to understand the terms of their service agreements while using social media and other web platforms. Users and their information are safer by taking ownership of shared content and using the FTC protections. With all online platforms, it’s the user that has to set their settings to match their exposure levels. Staying with strict policies can protect data and online information. The fake news story you use describing a woman’s actions regarding immigration shows how this type of information drives the divided narrative and divides us as a nation. The fake news articles present biased claims as fact and use opinion to influence the public and political narratives. By examining the standards of journalism, we can determine if news sources uphold integrity and accuracy when reporting.

References

Ekstrand, V. S., Carlson, C. R., Coyle, E. K., Ross, S. D., Reynolds, A., & Trager, R. (2024a). Trager’s the law of Journalism and Mass Communication (8th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.

Shipman, D. (1990). Marlon Brando. London: Sphere. ISBN-10: 0747404313, ISBN-13: 978-0747404316.

Commerce Senate. (2011). Key quotes from today’s hearing on privacy and data security. U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce.

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