Talking Tech: The Birth and Growth of the Media's Online Data Privacy Debate

The media plays a vital function in determining what the American public discusses. Between 2006 and 2011, the topic of online data privacy and personally-identifiable online information grew from a fringe topic to one of national political and policy prominence. This research analyzes how media outlets approached the novel topic of online data, how coverage of online data evolved over the course of five years, and what effect this evolution had on the public prominence of online data as a national debate.Analyzing data from the New York Times, Washington Post and Associated Press, this research shows that journalists became much more familiar with the topic of online data over time. Journalists came to understand not only the differences between browsing data and personal data, but also the industry and nonprofit players and the policy questions involved. This research shows that journalists were more likely to include multiple perspectives in stories as years progressed, with much the same pattern observed in the increasingly prominent placement of articles about online data within newspapers. Over the course of a half decade, journalists came to know their subject matter and its prominence increased accordingly. Over time, coverage of online data became nuanced and holistic, providing the seeds for a vigorous public debate.

Author

• Burns, Max A.

Language

• en

Keyword

• agenda setting
• personal data
• data privacy
• online data
• browsing data
• media framing

Date created

• 2012

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Media and Public Affairs

Degree

• M.A.

Advisor

• Hindman, Matthew

Committee Member(s)

• Bailard, Catherine S
• Loge, Peter

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/gh93gz70r