Privacy Threats through Social Media: When Privacy Becomes Public in Dave Eggers’ The Circle

Abstract

This academic article aims to analyze Dave Eggers’ The Circle focusing on the strategies of privacy theft of the powerful advanced technological company, The Circle. They attempt to brainwash people by showing them the benefits of turning their privacy into publicity. The concept of dystopia, totalitarianism and Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy needs’ theory are applied in this discussion. The company employs five different concepts and ways to gain their authority through privacy theft: firstly, using convenience as a tool to steal people’s privacy; secondly, being visible by public is the way of keeping communication; thirdly, secrecy as a crime to publicity; fourthly, sharing information as the generosity and devotion to the world; fifthly, transparency leads to the true democracy. With all those effective strategies above, people do not realize that the company completely controls their privacy.