The challenge
Digital privacy is arguably one of the most important topics of the current times in digital communication. With the growing ubiquity of information and information-based tools and services, privacy has become both a resource and a currency in social, cultural, political, and economic interactions. Yet, the conceptualization of privacy itself is still at the heart of the scholarly debate, especially when viewed from a global, comparative perspective. Conceptions of privacy hold deep, cultural underpinnings, yet these dimensions are often underexplored in research that focuses on how privacy is valued, measured, and enacted. Likewise, researchers are seeking for guidance in order to engage with digital data while at the same time respecting privacy needs of persons involved in their studies. This conceptual plurality, coupled with socio-technical developments, makes comparative privacy research particularly challenging, despite its importance. We invite you to engage with this challenge.
The idea
This initiative was born out of a series of independent studies around the world and conversations that occurred in venues such as the International Communication Association. The goal is to create a sustainable framework for comparative privacy research.
Upcoming events
| Date | Event | Place | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26.-27. October, 2022 | Minerva-Gentner Symposium | Jerusalem | Registration | Program | Information |
News and Announcements
Call for Papers for a Special Issue in Social Media + Society
We are inviting submissions of extended abstract for a special issue on “Comparative Approaches To Studying Privacy: Opening Up New Perspectives” in Social Media + Society. The special issue seeks to examine privacy through a comparative lens in order to illuminate potential blindspots regarding its conceptualization and operationalization, and to help guide research that will inform policymaking and empowerment efforts aimed at preserving autonomy and democracy in the digital age, including those directed toward privacy literacy and education. You can find the call for paper here.