Data Privacy: Are We Accidentally Sharing Too Much Information?

We are living in a world in which we are surrounded by technology. With the conveniences of technology also come nuisances. People are exposing personally identifiable information (PII) about themselves without realizing the consequences of this action. Many users of social network sites are aware of the possible pitfalls of failing to secure their personally identifiable information using the privacy settings of the site. However, what about the personally identifiable information placed in the photos that individuals place online? What about accidentally sharing information by clicking “reply all” to an email that was meant for only one recipient or attaching the wrong document in an email? With the increased deployment of electronic devices that connect us around the world, we often unintentionally share personal information with those we do not know or whom we did not intend to disclose the private details. The oversharing of information, how it is collected, and who collects it can be a source of power. As users of these communication channels, we need to be aware of how information can be accidentally shared with those we did not intend and the negative effects it can have on the user. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first attempt to measure accidental sharing of information via mobile devices, email, public Wi-Fi and text messaging. This 2013 exploratory study investigates how students at a mid-Atlantic University willingly and unwillingly share personal information and the potential effect this sharing has on their digital lives.