Data rights in the 21st century : exploring the boundaries of empowerment in blockchain social media settings [article]

Soyoung Park, 0000-0002-9533-9191, Austin, The University Of Texas At, Sharon Strover
2021
Personal data based on daily human activities in digital domains are becoming an asset accelerating the unprecedented growth of digital industries. Individual data subjects, tired of businesses using and selling user data for financial gain, are now more aware of the value of their data and are increasingly demanding a fair share of the value they create/contribute. Despite recent policy efforts in support of the public claim such as data dividends, data tax, and data fiduciaries, there are no
more » ... asy or "perfect" solutions; multiple solutions have catalyzed multiple debates. The goal of this study is to broaden our horizons on this issue by investigating the potential of an incentivized blockchain-powered social networks platform to exercise our data rights. Drawing on Steemit, one of the first blockchain social networks as a site for research, this study explores how ordinary users' ownership of data as well as data privacy are implemented and practiced in the form of user-generated contents (UGCs), how was their "investment" of personal information actually rewarded, and the sociotechnical conditions of successful users on this type of the alternative platform to realize the value of our data. Using a topic modeling approach, content analysis, and an online user survey, the study takes both macro and micro perspectives to examine UGC behaviors that employ personal information as a source of content, in addition to exploring individual users. The Steemit site essentially rewards people for sharing personal information, providing a unique platform with which to assess how people create value from UGC. For example, users' self-introduction posts created an extensive topic space that generally contains basic demographic information. However, a considerable proportion of topic space focuses on expressing who participants are by disclosing their personal traits, views of life, life goal or vision rather than conventional demographic profiles. This implies an increase of "less profile-able or less quantifiable" personal [...]
doi:10.26153/tsw/15257 fatcat:j4wp75gepfb7bocbxkp6zkxoem