Social Media and The Great Privacy Debate

There’s been a lot of discussion at Jaggers Communications’ world headquarters, about issues related to social media and privacy.

We don’t always agree about the ethics involved or the complex decisions businesses must make if they’re going to data mine to a level that might make consumers uncomfortable. We’re also on the fence about employers and the rights they have to monitor, hire or fire, request access to and/or otherwise control an employee’s interaction on social networks.

As consumers, we can decide to enjoy the small benefits of marketing targeted specifically to our desires. I’ll admit that it’s nice that special offers I receive are based on prior purchases and my consumer behavior overall, providing me a convenience and benefit of financial savings. My level of discomfort in sharing online is not as high as others’.

We’re curious about what you think: are the benefits you receive from data mining practices outweighing the discomfort in giving up some level of privacy? How do you feel about employers or potential employers monitoring your online behavior?