David Haynes

Defining user risk in social networking services

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the risks faced by users of online social networking services (SNSs) in the UK and to develop a typology of risk that can be used to assess regulatory effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach – An initial investigation of the literature revealed no detailed taxonomies of risk in this area. Existing taxonomies were reviewed and merged with categories identified in a pilot survey and expanded in purposive sample survey directed at the library and information services (LIS) community in the UK. Findings – Analysis of the relationships between different risk categories yielded a grouping of risks by their consequences. This aligns with one of the objectives of regulation, which is to mitigate risks. Research limitations/implications – This research offers a tool for evaluation of different modes of regulation of social media. Practical implications – Awareness of the risks associated with use of online SNSs and wider social media contributes to the work of ...

A regulatory model for personal data on social networking services in the UK

The Data Protection Act 1998 is seen as partially effective for social media.Self-regulation is widely adopted by service providers but has limitations.User behaviour and system design can help protect privacy.Existing models of regulation do not reflect current regulatory activity.A new regulatory model includes: legislation, self-regulation, behaviour and design. Widespread use of online social networking services (SNSs) exposes users to a variety of risks. This study examines the UKs Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and considers the wider regulatory landscape in the UK. Although based on EU legislation, the DPA has shortcomings in enforcement and in regulating global services using national legislation. Lessigs model of internet regulation was used as a starting point to examine the alternative regulatory mechanisms that apply to personal data on SNSs. Interviews with industry experts highlighted self-regulation as a major influence on the behaviour of users and SNS providers. This has been incorporated into a new model of regulation that applies to SNSs. The resulting model has identified the following modes: law (statutory legislation), self-regulation (privacy policies and self-regulation of the online advertising industry), code (the way services are designed and their system architecture), and norms (expressed as user behaviour and collectively as market behaviour). The paper concludes that this new model of regulation is needed to adequately describe the current regulatory landscape as it applies to social media. This may form a better basis for evaluation of regulatory effectiveness in the future.

Social media, risk and information governance:

The use of social media by organizations forms an important component of the information landscape. However, social media governance is often overlooked even though its use needs to be managed in order to avoid some of its pitfalls. Risk management is one way of developing a strategy for regulating the use of social media by employees, and this article argues that it forms the basis for an effective information governance framework.

Who Will Preserve Electronic Publications

Although some organisations have their own policies for the preservation of digital material, there is no national policy. The issues involved in creating such a policy are complex but a national agency could co-ordinate the development of the guidelines and standards necessary for the maintenance of a distributed archive, funded from the public purse and supported by changes in legal deposit legislation.

Metadata: the political dimension

The use and management of metadata raises many ethical and eventually political issues. The security revelations by Edward Snowden in 2014 demonstrate the key role that metadata plays in surveillance. Privacy has become a particularly hot topic in recent months and much of the debate has centred on the misuse of metadata from social media and the potentially invasive effect this has on individuals. Metadata also has a key role in delivering reliable sources of information, although this has to go hand in hand with user education and improved information literacy. Access to information is a fundamental right and the appropriate use of metadata can help improve access to health, agriculture and education as well as contributing to economic development. Metadata is a route to good governance, but it must also be handled appropriately to maintain information privacy, a fundamental human right.The use and management of metadata raises many ethical and eventually political issues. The security revelations by Edward Snowden in 2014 demonstrate the key role that metadata plays in surveillance. Privacy has become a particularly hot topic in recent months and much of the debate has centred on the misuse of metadata from social media and the potentially invasive effect this has on individuals. Metadata also has a key role in delivering reliable sources of information, although this has to go hand in hand with user education and improved information literacy. Access to information is a fundamental right and the appropriate use of metadata can help improve access to health, agriculture and education as well as contributing to economic development. Metadata is a route to good governance, but it must also be handled appropriately to maintain information privacy, a fundamental human right.

Records and Information Management

Sec. 2 Records Retention Schedule. The University of Texas System recognizes the need for orderly management and retrieval of all official State records and a documented records retention schedule in compliance with all State and federal laws and related regulations. All official records (paper, microform, electronic, including all electronically stored information (ESI), or any other media) will be retained for the retention periods stated in the institutional Records Retention Schedule as approved by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and the Texas State Auditors Office in compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 441. After a specified period of time, official records must be disposed of in a manner that is consistent with, and systematically carried out in accordance with prescribed records and information management guidelines and procedures.