MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms

Robert Cantaragiu; Antonis Michalas; Eugene Frimpong; Alexandros Bakas

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms

Robert Cantaragiu, Antonis Michalas, Eugene Frimpong, Alexandros Bakas

Computing Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Social networks such as Facebook (Since October 2021 is also known as META) (FB) and Instagram are known for tracking user online behaviour for commercial gain. To this day, there is practically no other way of achieving privacy in said platforms other than renouncing their use. However, many users are reluctant in doing so because of convenience or social and professional reasons. In this work, we propose a means of balancing convenience and privacy on FB through obfuscation. We have created MetaPriv, a tool based on simulating user interaction with FB. MetaPriv allows users to add noise interactions to their account so as to lead FB’s profiling algorithms astray, and make them draw inaccurate profiles in relation to their interests and habits. To prove our tool’s effectiveness, we ran extensive experiments on a dummy account and two existing user accounts. Our results showed that, by using our tool, users can achieve a higher degree of privacy in just a couple of weeks. We believe that MetaPriv can be further developed to accommodate other social media platforms and help users regain their privacy, while maintaining a reasonable level of convenience. To support open science and reproducible research, our source code is publicly available online.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Security and Privacy in Communication Networks
Subtitle of host publication	18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings
Editors	Fengjun Li, Kaitai Liang, Zhiqiang Lin, Sokratis K. Katsikas
Publisher	Springer
Pages	692-709
Number of pages	18
ISBN (Print)	9783031255373
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36
Publication status	Published - 2023
Publication type	A4 Article in conference proceedings
Event	International Conference on Security and Privacy in Communication Systems - , United States Duration: 17 Oct 2022 → 19 Oct 2022

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST
Volume	462 LNICST
ISSN (Print)	1867-8211
ISSN (Electronic)	1867-822X

Conference

Conference	International Conference on Security and Privacy in Communication Systems
Country/Territory	United States
Period	17/10/22 → 19/10/22

Keywords

Metaverse
Obfuscation
Online profiling
Privacy
Recommendation systems
Social networks

Publication forum classification

Publication forum level 1

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Computer Networks and Communications

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

Cite this

Cantaragiu, R., Michalas, A., Frimpong, E., & Bakas, A. (2023). MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms. In F. Li, K. Liang, Z. Lin, & S. K. Katsikas (Eds.), Security and Privacy in Communication Networks: 18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings (pp. 692-709). (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST; Vol. 462 LNICST). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

Cantaragiu, Robert ; Michalas, Antonis ; Frimpong, Eugene et al. / MetaPriv : Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms. Security and Privacy in Communication Networks: 18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings. editor / Fengjun Li ; Kaitai Liang ; Zhiqiang Lin ; Sokratis K. Katsikas. Springer, 2023. pp. 692-709 (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST).

@inproceedings{db186ef698374859ad4fa6183b397a5a,

title = "MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms",

abstract = "Social networks such as Facebook (Since October 2021 is also known as META) (FB) and Instagram are known for tracking user online behaviour for commercial gain. To this day, there is practically no other way of achieving privacy in said platforms other than renouncing their use. However, many users are reluctant in doing so because of convenience or social and professional reasons. In this work, we propose a means of balancing convenience and privacy on FB through obfuscation. We have created MetaPriv, a tool based on simulating user interaction with FB. MetaPriv allows users to add noise interactions to their account so as to lead FB{\textquoteright}s profiling algorithms astray, and make them draw inaccurate profiles in relation to their interests and habits. To prove our tool{\textquoteright}s effectiveness, we ran extensive experiments on a dummy account and two existing user accounts. Our results showed that, by using our tool, users can achieve a higher degree of privacy in just a couple of weeks. We believe that MetaPriv can be further developed to accommodate other social media platforms and help users regain their privacy, while maintaining a reasonable level of convenience. To support open science and reproducible research, our source code is publicly available online.",

keywords = "Metaverse, Obfuscation, Online profiling, Privacy, Recommendation systems, Social networks",

author = "Robert Cantaragiu and Antonis Michalas and Eugene Frimpong and Alexandros Bakas",

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year = "2023",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36",

language = "English",

isbn = "9783031255373",

series = "Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST",

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booktitle = "Security and Privacy in Communication Networks",

}

Cantaragiu, R, Michalas, A , Frimpong, E & Bakas, A 2023, MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms. in F Li, K Liang, Z Lin & SK Katsikas (eds), Security and Privacy in Communication Networks: 18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings. Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST, vol. 462 LNICST, Springer, pp. 692-709, International Conference on Security and Privacy in Communication Systems, United States, 17/10/22. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms. / Cantaragiu, Robert; Michalas, Antonis ; Frimpong, Eugene et al.
Security and Privacy in Communication Networks: 18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings. ed. / Fengjun Li; Kaitai Liang; Zhiqiang Lin; Sokratis K. Katsikas. Springer, 2023. p. 692-709 (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST; Vol. 462 LNICST).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - MetaPriv

T2 - International Conference on Security and Privacy in Communication Systems

AU - Cantaragiu, Robert

AU - Michalas, Antonis

AU - Frimpong, Eugene

AU - Bakas, Alexandros

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Social networks such as Facebook (Since October 2021 is also known as META) (FB) and Instagram are known for tracking user online behaviour for commercial gain. To this day, there is practically no other way of achieving privacy in said platforms other than renouncing their use. However, many users are reluctant in doing so because of convenience or social and professional reasons. In this work, we propose a means of balancing convenience and privacy on FB through obfuscation. We have created MetaPriv, a tool based on simulating user interaction with FB. MetaPriv allows users to add noise interactions to their account so as to lead FB’s profiling algorithms astray, and make them draw inaccurate profiles in relation to their interests and habits. To prove our tool’s effectiveness, we ran extensive experiments on a dummy account and two existing user accounts. Our results showed that, by using our tool, users can achieve a higher degree of privacy in just a couple of weeks. We believe that MetaPriv can be further developed to accommodate other social media platforms and help users regain their privacy, while maintaining a reasonable level of convenience. To support open science and reproducible research, our source code is publicly available online.

AB - Social networks such as Facebook (Since October 2021 is also known as META) (FB) and Instagram are known for tracking user online behaviour for commercial gain. To this day, there is practically no other way of achieving privacy in said platforms other than renouncing their use. However, many users are reluctant in doing so because of convenience or social and professional reasons. In this work, we propose a means of balancing convenience and privacy on FB through obfuscation. We have created MetaPriv, a tool based on simulating user interaction with FB. MetaPriv allows users to add noise interactions to their account so as to lead FB’s profiling algorithms astray, and make them draw inaccurate profiles in relation to their interests and habits. To prove our tool’s effectiveness, we ran extensive experiments on a dummy account and two existing user accounts. Our results showed that, by using our tool, users can achieve a higher degree of privacy in just a couple of weeks. We believe that MetaPriv can be further developed to accommodate other social media platforms and help users regain their privacy, while maintaining a reasonable level of convenience. To support open science and reproducible research, our source code is publicly available online.

KW - Metaverse

KW - Obfuscation

KW - Online profiling

KW - Privacy

KW - Recommendation systems

KW - Social networks

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85148000610

SN - 9783031255373

T3 - Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST

SP - 692

EP - 709

BT - Security and Privacy in Communication Networks

A2 - Li, Fengjun

A2 - Liang, Kaitai

A2 - Lin, Zhiqiang

A2 - Katsikas, Sokratis K.

PB - Springer

Y2 - 17 October 2022 through 19 October 2022

ER -

Cantaragiu R, Michalas A , Frimpong E, Bakas A. MetaPriv: Acting in Favor of Privacy on Social Media Platforms. In Li F, Liang K, Lin Z, Katsikas SK, editors, Security and Privacy in Communication Networks: 18th EAI International Conference, SecureComm 2022, Proceedings. Springer. 2023. p. 692-709. (Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social-Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering, LNICST). doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-25538-0_36