The Privacy Implications of Digital Preservation: Social Media Archives and the Social Networks Theory of Privacy

Abstract

This paper seeks to analyze whether SNS users can claim a right to privacy with respect to their online communications. To do so, this paper will examine the privacy implications of the LOC Twitter archive in light of Strahilevitz’s social network theory of privacy. First, this article briefly discusses the LOC Twitter archive. Next, this article explores the online networking phenomenon and the privacy implications associated with social media. Third, this article examines privacy, in particular Strahilevitz’s social networks theory of privacy. Part four analyzes whether a challenge to the LOC Twitter archive based on a theory of invasion of privacy by public disclosure of private facts or intrusion would succeed under the social network theory of privacy. This article concludes with considerations for digital archives in relation to protecting personal privacy.

Keywords: twitter, privacy, social media, social networks, internet, online