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Article
Toward a transnational model of social media privacy: How young Saudi transnationals do privacy on Facebook
New Media & Society (2019)
  • Norah Abokhodair, University of Washington
  • Adam Hodges, Carnegie Mellon University
Abstract
Previous models of cross-cultural differences fail to adequately account for transnational patterns of social media use, especially as it relates to notions of privacy. Based on our study of young transnational Saudis, we propose a new model, the rubber band model of transnational privacy, to account for the way social media users stretch their conceptualization of privacy as practiced in their societies of origin to include new norms and practices in their hosting society. We explore how this process unfolds through a series of ethnographic interviews conducted with young Saudis at different stages of their migratory journey from Saudi Arabia to the United States and back. Our findings hold important implications for viewing privacy as a dynamic concept related to the fluid production of identities in online spaces. The model of privacy we put forth seeks to inform the culturally sensitive development of information and communications technology (ICTs).
Keywords
  • information and communications technology,
  • transnational,
  • social media,
  • privacy,
  • identity,
  • cross-cultural
Publication Date
2019
DOI
10.1177/1461444818821363
Citation Information
Norah Abokhodair and Adam Hodges. "Toward a transnational model of social media privacy: How young Saudi transnationals do privacy on Facebook" New Media & Society Vol. 21 Iss. 5 (2019) p. 1105 - 1120
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/adamhodges/103/