"The Privacy Paradox"????

The significance of social media is on rise. Social media is used massively, and undoubtedly it has transformed us in many ways. Nevertheless, as we embrace the effects of social media and its convenience to give us a global presence, it is also essential to be aware of the susceptibilities it brings to our privacy.

? Privacy illusion: Many social media users think that the privacy settings they configure on their social media account is sufficient enough to protect their privacy, and it gives them a sense that they have control over their data. However, these settings protect the user's privacy to a very low extent. Social media platforms contain complex algorithms that often prioritize engagement and user data collection at the expense of user privacy.

? Profiling and data gathering: Social media platforms thrive for data collection, and they closely monitor our activity on social media. For example, our likes and dislikes, interests and online behavior and responses. This data is collected and sold to potential advertisers for showing the user personalized content. Hence, unknowingly the user’s identity is sacrificed for the sake of publicizing.?

? Psychological privacy: Often social media limits the users’ notions and creates a block for gaining exposure. This happens because social media is tailored to feature content of users’ interests. This leads to filter bubbles and echo chambers, limiting the users’ ability to establish viewpoints and potentially influencing their beliefs and deportments.?

? Censorship effect: The current social media follows censorship laws, although the level of censorship might differ on every platform. The motivation behind censorship policies is to discourage people from undertaking discourse about certain topics. However, often censorship policies give rise to problems like not giving enough liberty to express oneself, or restricting opinions about certain subjects that are sensitive. Thus, such sensitive topics are often referred to as ‘taboo’ words, and it strongly affects the users’ expressions.?

Wrap up?

Quite many of us remain unaware about the privacy threats that social media has on its users. Consequently, surfing on social media without considering these concerns can sacrifice your identity. The vulnerabilities of social media are multifaceted and pose several challenges to individuals. For this reason it is essential to remain vigilant about these vulnerabilities, as being unaware or ignorant can put your identity at risk. Hence, having a grasp of social media threats can rescue you from getting your identity sacrificed.