Social Media and Personal Privacy: An IELTS Band 7+ Challenge

Introduction

Welcome to this guide on the topic of social media and personal privacy.
By working through this material, you will:

Learn to construct a powerful essay for IELTS Writing Task 2.
Expand your vocabulary with key academic words.
Practice essential grammar structures.
Build confidence to discuss the complex issue of privacy in the digital age.

50-word Article

The surveillance of user data by social media companies is a growing concern. While we benefit from free services, we also expose ourselves to risks such as data breaches and intrusive targeted advertising. This trade-off raises serious questions about the nature of personal privacy in an increasingly interconnected world.

Grammar Focus: Relative Clauses

Relative clauses give more information about a noun.
They begin with words such as who, that, which, whose, where.

✅ Example: “Social media companies collect a lot of data which they use to make money.”

🔹 Your Turn: Combine the sentences below using a relative clause:

Social media companies collect a lot of data.
They use this data to make money.

New Vocabulary

1. Surveillance

Definition: Continuous and careful monitoring of someone or something.
Synonyms: observation, monitoring, scrutiny, watch.
Usage Tip: Often used in contexts of security, government, or data privacy.

2. Vulnerable

Definition: Exposed to the possibility of harm or attack.
Synonyms: susceptible, at risk, exposed, defenseless.
Usage Tip: Stronger than exposed, emphasizes a lack of protection.

IELTS Reading Questions

Answer based on the 50-word article above:

What is a growing concern mentioned in the article?
What is the trade-off that is discussed?
What two specific risks are mentioned?
Does the author believe that a person’s privacy is completely secure on social media? (True/False/Not Given)
Does the article mention any benefits of targeted advertising? (True/False/Not Given)

Speaking Mini Challenge

Question:
Do you think the surveillance of our online activity is justified for providing free services?
In what ways does sharing personal information make people vulnerable?

Band 6 Answer:
“I think the surveillance is not fair because it can make us vulnerable. It is not good for companies to collect our information. We should be more careful about what we share.”

Band 7 Answer:
“In my view, the surveillance of our online activity is a very complex issue. While it may be necessary to some extent for platform security, I do not believe it is justified for providing free services. The constant collection of personal data makes individuals extremely vulnerable to identity theft and misuse of their information.”

Writing Mini Challenge

Task:
Discuss the ethical issues surrounding data surveillance on social media and the steps individuals can take to reduce their vulnerability.

Band 6 Answer:
“Data surveillance on social media is a big problem. It makes people vulnerable. To protect ourselves, we should use strong passwords and not share too much information online.”

Band 7 Answer:
“The ethical issues surrounding data surveillance on social media platforms are significant and multifaceted. The constant monitoring of user behavior raises serious questions about consent, privacy, and corporate responsibility. This practice not only makes individuals vulnerable to targeted advertising and data breaches but also has the potential to influence public opinion and democratic processes. To mitigate this risk, individuals must take proactive steps, such as adjusting their privacy settings, being selective about the information they share, and using privacy-enhancing browser extensions.”

Identity Upgrade: Using Hedging

To sound more academic and professional, learn hedging:
Hedging uses cautious language to avoid overgeneralization or absolute statements.

Examples:

❌ Instead of: “All social media is a threat to privacy.”
✅ Use: “Social media can pose a potential threat to privacy.”

❌ Instead of: “No one is safe online.”
✅ Use: “It seems that few people are fully protected from online risks.”

🔑 Hedging keywords: may, might, could, tends to, to some extent, arguably, it seems.

Final Call to Action

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