Abstract

Facebook has become an integral part of digital natives lives. As the technology is used more often, trust in the service increases. The unfortunate reality: people misinterpret trust by assuming anything can be said and done on this popular social media outlet. The problem of course is the fact that Facebook is a business that is fueled by sharing information to both third parties and other people. Their business scheme, combined with users misunderstanding of what power the policies have over them has the potential to incriminate and destroy students future they are working so hard to obtain. Are people actually okay with sharing their personal information online or is there a disconnect of what they understand? This study focuses on the policy knowledge that college students at the Rochester Institute of Technology have and tries to gain an understanding if education is able to sway users to relinquish a bit of social ability to conserve their privacy. A survey was given to 110 subjects which asked qualifying questions then educated them of the security concerns and finally asked a set of questions to gain a before and after picture of what they have learned. This before and after comparison proved that users in this day and age prefer being socially connected rather than taking needed steps to lessen online risk and overall have fallen subject to the disinhibition effect.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Facebook (Electronic resource)--Public opinion; College students--New York (State)--Rochester--Attitudes; Online social networks--Security measures; Data protection; Risk perception

Publication Date

2013

Document Type

Thesis

Department, Program, or Center

Information Sciences and Technologies (GCCIS)

Advisor

Weisman, Harris

Advisor/Committee Member

Mislan, Richard

Advisor/Committee Member

Maurer, Jonathan

Comments

Note: imported from RIT’s Digital Media Library running on DSpace to RIT Scholar Works. Physical copy available through RIT's The Wallace Library at: HM743.F33 R63 2013

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

NETSYS-MS

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