Becker, G. F., Ponschock, R. L. & Wilson, A. (2017). A conceptual model of personal privacy considerations in a transformative media eco-system. Journal of Strategic and International Studies, XII(2), 19-28. ISSN: 2326-3636. Presented at Spring International Multidisciplinary Academic Conference, Orlando, Florida, March 2017. A CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF PERSONAL PRIVACY CONSIDERATIONS IN A TRANSFORMATIVE MEDIA ECO-SYSTEM Anthony Wilson, Nyack College, New York Gerard F. Becker, Nyack College, New York Richard. L. Ponschock, Northern Arizona University, Arizona; Nyack College, New York ABSTRACT This research introduces a conceptual model for exploring and understanding various aspects of what this study terms, “Unconscious Permission? Utility vs. Price of surrendered privacy”. Through an initial meta-analytic approach of existent research, current events, and emerging trends, it was concluded that the impact on personal and professional privacy related to a rapidly transformative media eco-system is akin to exploring the “tip of an iceberg”. The emerging ramifications are compounding at an exponential velocity and must be fully grasped before its momentum becomes untenable to harness. As a follow-on to a book published by several of the authors herein (Ponschock & Becker, 2016), this conceptual model has emerged as another facet of the originally constituted longitudinal study related to the overall impact of digitization on society. This initial exploratory study into the far reaching impacts of personal privacy considerations requires consistent, rapid and in-depth follow-on discovery in order to fully grasp the depth of this “iceberg”. Keywords: ToS; IoT; “Click Wrap”; Social Media, Software Contracts; DIGIPERSON; Surveillance Capitalism; Digital Bread Crumbs©, Digital Exhaust, Big Data 1. INTRODUCTION In a song made famous by Tennessee Ernie Ford entitled “Sixteen Tons”, there is a repetitive phrase in the chorus - I owe my soul to the company store (Ford, 1988). This research sought knowledge related to a few similar statements and questions: Do we face the same outcome every time we select I accept or download a new app on our computers or smart phone? Through “Unconscious Permission”, do we sell our privacy to the company store? The underlying and overarching research question and premise attendant in this study is related to the constructs of the 21st century communication organism – The New Transformative Media Eco-system. The thesis is: What are the short, intermediate and long term ramifications associated with “Unconscious Permission”? What is the relationship between “Utility vs. Price” of this “surrendered privacy”? Every moment of every day, significant numbers of applications are installed/upgraded on a myriad of digital mobility devices, computers, etc. while unconsciously accepting Terms of Service (ToS). Facebook currently has approximately 1.28 billion monthly active users. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesize that most users blindly agree to these ToS without fully reading and/or understanding the fine print/ramifications (Shrecker, 2014). Expanding the lens beyond Facebook, it would take every cyber user approximately 25 full days to fully read all the ToS for every website visited; nationalized this would equate to 53.8 Billion hours of ToS review (Madrigal, 2012). Regardless of the modality (Modalities, 2016) or device utilized, "I Accept" is considered the starting point for any such ToS review/agreement. Contrary to this statement, it should be argued that "Before the Click" is the actual onset of the ToS review (Bayley, 2009). Any web surfing which results in a sign-up option, creates a “digital identity crumb©” trail (Ponschock, 2007). Hence, with the creation of the “digital identity crumb©” trail, any/all competitive web services become the hunter. As an example, a search on a site such as Ford for a new car will result in numerous car companies having visibility into that query, information and knowledge. As 21st century actors, there are multiple ways of offering individual information and data (in many cases unconsciously). Consider that there is a myriad of access to thousands of assumed free services over mobile devices, with a latent (if at all existent) concern about the use and disposition of the data imparted during the process. As an older adage states: “If you are getting the service for free, you are the product…” (Powazek, 2012). Many of these actions have little or nothing to do with a direct acceptance of a permission based process. Use of credit cards, mobile phones, purchasing a car, etc. are all unilaterally initiated, yet result in the creation of individualistic information in the form of the “digital identity crumb©”. The use of free web-based email service, word-processor, or texting information is easily accessible; as an example, consider that the use of a cloud based service to layout bedroom furniture, and one has shared more than realized (or desired). Therefore, it becomes an unconscious process that has ramifications. All these are data points that create a profile and feed the synthesis domain of the Transformative Media Eco-system. While at the core of this study, the eco-system is evaluated in the context of “Unconscious Permission” as well as “Utility vs. Price of surrendered privacy.” Figure 1: Conceptual Model Understanding of the eco-system begins with the fundamental understanding related to the basics of systems theory (von Bertalanffy, 1969). Systems theory remains an interdisciplinary study relative to the nature of complex systems in nature, society, and science; and is a framework by which provides for exploration, investigation and potential understanding related to any group of objects which synergistically produce results. While 21st century society is an aggregation of digital components, the digital landscape is now portrayed via the Transformative Media Eco-System. This eco-system may be best illustrated as four concentric domains comprising the existent social communication environment (see Figure 1). These organic domains are continually interacting; providing a continuous feedback loop to the adjacent domains. The product of the ecosystem has been referred to by some as “Surveillance Capitalism”. 2. “SURVEILLANCE CAPITALISM” Surveillance Capitalism is a relevant and powerful concept initially related in an article based on a discussion with Shoshana Zuboff is quoted (Carr, 2017): Privacy values in this context become externalities, like pollution or climate change, “for which surveillance capitalists are not accountable.” In fact, Zuboff believes, “Principles of individual self-determination are impediments to this economic juggernaut; they have to be vanquished. They are friction.” ... Consumer-citizens feel the assault, but for the surveillance capitalists, their creation is like “a living organism now, that has to grow.” (para. 3) If hypothesized that Surveillance Capitalism is the output of the posited Transformative Media Eco- system, then what are the inputs and costs of production? Research illustrates that the transformative media is a system of interdependency. “As systems become more and more sophisticated the reality of interdependency becomes more and more pronounced” (Gharajedaghi, 2006, p. 15). Further argument could be inferred that Surveillance Capitalism is a prime enabler; the driving feedback for the growth of the eco-system. “In system thinking it is an axiom that every influence is both cause and effect. Nothing is ever influence in just one direction” (Senge, 1990, p. 79). The posited transformative media eco-system follows the complex system theory. The actors/users of the eco-system seek the utilities afforded by the system. Payments for these digital utilities are via typical means and by “Unconscious Permission” through handing over privacy. Figure 2: Communication Model The feedback loops occur between domains in the Transformative Media Eco-System (see Figure 2). Actors seek utility; input begets output; output increases utility; and the overall system grows as a living organism. 3. FIRST DOMAIN – COLLECTION: “GRID” MODALITY When defining inputs to any data collection domain, a fundamental aspect is the “grid modality” – either one is “on the grid” or “off the grid”. This is comparable to thematic analysis in qualitative research approaches as well as the utilization of a specific coding schema (Creswell, 2013). The posited Eco- system is the communication “grid” that society’s actors plug into. Collection of personal information by government or private organizations is not overtly new or unique to the digital age. Prior to this introduction of the Transformative Media Eco-System, various collection points existed (see Figure 3). Figure 3: Collection Points-20th Century Consider that collection points could go back significantly in history: i.e. smoke signals, petroglyphs, etc. In the not too distant past, inquiries to the internet were isolated to a computer and attached keyboard. This collection environment has rapidly expanded and continues to morph as the Internet of Things (IoT) exponentially evolves. More, better, faster and unique devices become available on a daily basis. As the digital age evolves, so do the various collection points (see Figure 4). Figure 4: Collection Points-21st Century Currently, over two thirds of Americans own a smartphone of some kind (Anderson, 2015). The term smart phone has its fundamental development in the ability of the device to perform an unlimited number of functions in