Privacy practices in social network sites often appear
paradoxical, as content-sharing behavior stands in conflict
with the need to reduce disclosure-related harms. In this
study we explore privacy in social network sites as a
contextual information practice, managed by a process of
boundary regulation. Drawing on a sample survey of
undergraduate Facebook users, we examine a particular
privacy-enhancing practice: having a friends-only Facebook
profile. Particularly, we look at the association between
network composition, expectancy violations, interpersonal
privacy practices and having a friends-only profile. We
find that expectancy violations by weak ties and increased
levels of interpersonal privacy management are positively
associated with having a friends-only profile. We conclude
with a discussion of how these findings may be integrated
into the design of systems to facilitate interaction while
enhancing individual privacy.