It’s the constant battle of new media: Where do you draw the line between privacy and publicity? That was the subject of Saturday’s keynote address, delivered by Danah Boyd, social media researcher for Microsoft New England. She believes online privacy is not dead. However, she said privacy is understanding how technology flows.

Boyd focused much of her talk on privacy issues with Google Buzz and Facebook. Regarding Google, she was concerned with the amount of information that was available when Buzz launched earlier this year. Boyd stated that just because something is publicly accessible doesn’t mean people want it publicized. As for Facebook, Boyd said only 35% of users went into the security settings that changed in December and made their information private.

The keynote then focused on teens and the information they’re putting on the internet. Boyd said she has talked to tween-age girls who have deliberately posted risqué pictures of themselves in order to get a modeling contract via the web like Tila Tequila. She believes teens want to be celebrities, but don’t understand the difficulties that come along with it – like paparazzi. “There’s a big difference between being center of attention at school and being stalked by photographers,” Boyd said. She went on to say the worst thing parents can do when talking about privacy with their kids is say, “Back in my day…” Parents have to involve their kids in the discussion and genuinely value their feedback.

Boyd wrapped up her keynote with a key point. She said, “Wanting privacy is not about having something to hide. It’s about wanting to maintain control.” The question you have to ask is how public are you willing to be?