"Taking Down the Monitoring": Privacy Protection for Social Media User in the Era of Big Data

Abstract

In the era of big data, the development of technology has promoted social progress and given rise to various types of social media. The popularity of social media has made it an essential platform for information sharing and communication. However, the monitoring, collecting, and using of personal information on social media platforms have exposed users' privacy to risks. While technology has greatly facilitated people's lives, it has also brought about many ethical challenges to privacy. A balance is needed between the development of information technology and the protection of personal privacy. Through in-depth interviews with nine social media users, this paper discusses three situations where user privacy is compromised: user profiling, precision marketing and fraud. It also gives some strategies for protecting privacy based on the need for three different subjects to work together: individuals, platforms and governments.