Concept Explication
privacy
"privacy exists where the persons whose actions engender or become the objects of information retain possession of that information, and any flow outward of that information retain possession of that information from the persons to whom it refers occurs on the initiative of its possessors." (Shils, 1966)
Note the date on the cite. Key here: concept of privacy as a relationship, which implies tensions, change, and tradeoffs, versus privacy as a property right.
trust & reputation
"reputation is a mantle worn with clear consequences for others' behaviors," . . . "a necessary and basic component of the trust that lies at the heart of social order"
--Nock, p. 2
"Individual reputation continues to guide social life and commerce. What has changed is how our reputations are established and maintained." (surveillance)
--Nock, p. 109
"So long as we are able to trust others, privacy can expand. The limits to privacy are the limits to trust."
--Nock, p. 110
Specific to e-commerce (eBay): "The potential loss associated with a damaged reputation combined with the inability to manipulate one's own reputation assures that an entity with a positive reputation will continue to act reputably (i.e., will not act opportunistically in future exchange) (Barney & Hansen, 1994; Yamagishi & Yamagishi, 1994; Wilson, 1985).
Key question: (via Ron Brown) How much are credentials (establishing reputation and encouraging trust) are "trusted" and acted upon on their face, that is, without further checking? eBay fraud, telephone scams, terrorists with passports, etc.
credentials (earned & granted)
evidence of reputation and a method of overt surveillance; examples: drivers licenses, credit cards, diplomas, and, for today's discussion, rankings, karma, rating points
something that gives a person access to credit or confidence (contrasted with an ordeal, or a ritual that determines whether an individual is telling the truth) (Nock, p. 14)
recall our class discussion on the credit card as a portable symbol of reputability, allowing an individual to trade on his good name despite the fact that the other party to the transaction had no idea who he or she was (Nock, p. 50). Essential in a society of strangers.
egalitarian, self-organizing communities
of the people, by the people and for the people
"a few jokers in the mix invariably get washed out by the overwhelming number of contributors genuinely interested in the site's meeting its objectives"
-- Steven Johnson, New York Times, "Populist Editing," Jan. 6, 2002
surveillance
according to Nock, necessary for and a consequence of privacy in a society of strangers (p. 1)
= to credentials and ordeals (p. 3)
necessary to the extent there is anonymity
(contrast pre-1750 colonial America with 2002 NYC)part of the inherent tension between individual autonomy and collective order, OR IS IT?
(surveillance of central London and no correlate arrests; red light cameras; Visionics)
shame culture
When a member fails to meet the demands of the community's code, he loses his reputation and, therefore, his value in the eyes of all the members of the community. After all, he has rejected the claims and demands of the community. Either kicked out or forced to start over, requiring credentialing and a new series of ordeals. (Taylor, 1985)
full cites:
Barney, J., & Hansen, M. (1994). Trustworthiness as a source of competitive advantage. Strategic Management Journal, 15, 175-190.
Shils, Edward, "Privacy: Its Constitution and Vicissitudes," Law and Contemporary Problems 31 (Spring 1966): 282.
Taylor, Gabriele (1985), Pride, Shame, and Guilt: Emotions of Self-Assessment, New York: Oxford University Press.
Yamagishi, T., & Yamagishi, M. (1994). Trust and commitment in the United States and Japan. Motivation and Emotion, 18 (2), 129-166.
Wilson, R. (1985). Reputations in games and markets. In A. Roth (Ed.), Game-theoretic models of bargaining, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.