Abstract
The present study examined disclosure and use of privacy settings in online social networking profiles as a function of the media context (i.e., online versus hard copy (paper and pencil) FacebookTM profiles). Gender was also examined. Overall, participants disclosed more information when constructing a profile for another person when using a hard copy paper and pencil format than an online context. Gender differences were not uniform across media contexts, however, in contrast to traditional disclosure theory, females censored their disclosures more so than males but only for some topics. Only 20% of the sample increased their use of privacy settings. Consistent with patterns of disclosure, descriptive comparison suggests that more settings were employed in the paper and pencil than online context and more privacy settings were employed by females.
Highlights
Throughout history, technological advancements have changed the nature of social communication
The present study examined disclosure and use of privacy settings in online social networking profiles as a function of the media context (i.e., online versus hard copy FacebookTM profiles)
Consistent with patterns of disclosure, descriptive comparison suggests that more settings were employed in the paper-and-pencil than online context and more privacy settings were employed by females
Summary
Throughout history, technological advancements have changed the nature of social communication. Before the age of the telephone, people corresponded either face-toface, or through written letters. This limited the number of people who could be contacted as well as the time taken for information to be shared. Instant messaging (IM, MSN) and, most recently, online social networking sites such as FacebookTM have become quick, easy and desirable modes for communicating with close friends and strangers alike. A great deal of information is known about how people choose to disclose information and how they handle personal privacy in traditional media contexts (e.g., letter writing/print, face-to-face), less is known about how online media formats impact on disclosure and privacy decisions. The goal of the present study was to examine differences in disclosure of personal information and use of privacy settings when individuals created FacebookTM profiles for another person using an online media format or a hard copy (i.e., print) version
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