Rethinking Anonymity for Social Networks ; CU-CS-1065-10

This paper explains why existing anonymity models such as k-anonymity cannot be applied to the most common form of private data release on the internet, social network APIs. An alternative anonymity model, PP-anonymity, is presented, which measures the posterior probability of an attacker logically deducing previously unknown private information using a social network API. Finally, the feasibility of such an approach is evaluated suggesting that a social network site such as Facebook could practically implement an anonymous API using PP-anonymity, providing its users with an anonymous option to the current application model.