| Title |
The Convergence of Virtual Reality and Social Networks: Threats to Privacy and Autonomy
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Science and Engineering Ethics, January 2015
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s11948-014-9621-1 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Fiachra O’Brolcháin, Tim Jacquemard, David Monaghan, Noel O’Connor, Peter Novitzky, Bert Gordijn |
| Abstract |
The rapid evolution of information, communication and entertainment technologies will transform the lives of citizens and ultimately transform society. This paper focuses on ethical issues associated with the likely convergence of virtual realities (VR) and social networks (SNs), hereafter VRSNs. We examine a scenario in which a significant segment of the world's population has a presence in a VRSN. Given the pace of technological development and the popularity of these new forms of social interaction, this scenario is plausible. However, it brings with it ethical problems. Two central ethical issues are addressed: those of privacy and those of autonomy. VRSNs pose threats to both privacy and autonomy. The threats to privacy can be broadly categorized as threats to informational privacy, threats to physical privacy, and threats to associational privacy. Each of these threats is further subdivided. The threats to autonomy can be broadly categorized as threats to freedom, to knowledge and to authenticity. Again, these three threats are divided into subcategories. Having categorized the main threats posed by VRSNs, a number of recommendations are provided so that policy-makers, developers, and users can make the best possible use of VRSNs. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 4 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 1 | 25% |
| Unknown | 3 | 75% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 4 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 210 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | 1 | <1% |
| Germany | 1 | <1% |
| Canada | 1 | <1% |
| Australia | 1 | <1% |
| Unknown | 206 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Master | 40 | 19% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 37 | 18% |
| Student > Bachelor | 23 | 11% |
| Researcher | 19 | 9% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 10 | 5% |
| Other | 28 | 13% |
| Unknown | 53 | 25% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 48 | 23% |
| Social Sciences | 24 | 11% |
| Business, Management and Accounting | 16 | 8% |
| Engineering | 13 | 6% |
| Psychology | 10 | 5% |
| Other | 40 | 19% |
| Unknown | 59 | 28% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 47. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 27 November 2023.
All research outputs
#865,948
of 24,911,633 outputs
Outputs from Science and Engineering Ethics
#47
of 952 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#11,373
of 364,250 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Science and Engineering Ethics
#2
of 11 outputs
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We're also able to compare this research output to 11 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.