Intimacy and «Extimacy» in Social Networks. Ethical Boundaries of Facebook

Abstract

The current paper aims to analyze how certain Facebook settings, model of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), have turned into an infringement of some existing privacy Ethical principles. This totally changed and modern paradigm has its clearest expression in recent Web 2.0., and omnipotent Communication Technology, and implies the reconsideration of each Ethical Principles, especially those related to Intimacy and Image Protection. Our research explains not just how these areas are affected by technological changes but also the way these imperative ethical principles are violated because users ignorance and confidence. This carefree attitude and the increasing communicative relevance have given networking precedence over Intimacy protection. The result of this action has been denominated «Extimacy» according to the author Jacques Lacan, a concept which can be translated as public Intimacy through networking activities, namely, exposed Intimacy. The goal we aim to achieve is to illustrate the different ways our Privacy can be damaged by some Facebook measures (as Privacy Policies Change, collecting tendencies of consumption, the use of private data and revealing users confidence). Likewise these arguments will be endorsed by international researches focused on Facebook privacy violations, which we are going to expose to understand how citizens can carry out different actions to defend our Intimacy and Image Rights..