| Abstract [eng] |
In research of privacy attitude and behavior a common phenomenon is the privacy paradox: users of informational technologies claim to value their privacy, but in practice they do not fulfill this attitude and do not protect their privacy. The aim of this thesis is to explain the privacy paradox by data based power relations by carrying out an empirical research of 90s generation „Facebook“ users’ experiences in Lithuania. The main thesis to be defended: a discrepancy between privacy attitudes and behavior, identified as the privacy paradox, among 90s generation users of „Facebook“ comes from asymmetrical power relations between the users and the governors of the platform. Interest of the both actors to access in the platform available data and information, as a source of power, creates the conditions for users to experience a pressure to use the platform, which gives governors the power to take over the control of users’ personal information despite their privacy attitudes. Objectives of the research are to discuss main theoretical and methodological approaches to privacy paradox; to analyse the connection between data and power based on theoretical conceptions of M. Castells, P. Bourdieu, J. Sadowski, S. M. West and E. Segev; to analyse how „Facebook“ platform works and what effect it has on users; to analyse „Facebook“ platform using the conception of volume and control; to reveal the relation between 90s generation users of „Facebook“ and the platform; to find out how 90s generation „Facebook“ users from Lithuania experience privacy paradox; to study how the data based power relations manifest in experiences of 90s generation users of „Facebook“. Qualitative methods were chosen for conducting the research: 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with 90s generation „Facebook“ users from Lithuania. The empirical study showed that „Facebook“ is functioning as a network, in which both users and governors of the platform operate. Power relations manifest in the interactions between both of them and governors take dominant positions as users take dominated positions. Data and information can be held as an axis of those relations, since for the governors it plays an important role as a capital and for users it is important on a horizontal level in everyday social interactions. This axis maintains the functioning of the network and creates unfavorable conditions for users’ privacy – social benefits received outweigh the risks of privacy violations and users transfer the control of their personal data to the governors of „Facebook“ despite their attitudes toward privacy or willingness to protect it. |
