Defending Privacy of Personal Information

Defending Privacy of Personal Information

Privacy does not have a single definition and it is a concept that is not easily defined. Information privacy is an individual's claim to control the terms under which personal information is acquired, disclosed, and used [9]. In the context of privacy, personal information includes any information relating to or traceable to an individual person [ 1]. Privacy can be defined as a fundamental human right; thus, privacy protection which involves the establishment of rules governing the collection and handling of personal data can be seen as a boundary line as how far society can intrude into a person's affairs.

The Internet offers many benefits but it also creates many threats that undermines our personal privacy. Concerns about loss of privacy are not new. But the computer's ability to gather and sort vast amounts of data and the Internet's ability to distribute it globally magnify those concerns [1]. Privacy concerns on the Internet are centered on improper acquisition, improper use of personal information such as intrusions, manipulation, discrimination, identity theft, and stalking of personal information. Today the Internet stretches our geographic boundaries and force us to deal with global ethic based on moral principles held to be valid across the cultures. Due to the nature of the Internet, our personal information may be transmitted over the internet and that the transfer of personal information may be made to any country in the world, regardless of the extent of any data protection laws and regulations in any of those countries.

Protecting privacy on the Internet

It has long been believed that information is power. Thus, people collecting personal information in ...

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2. Privacy and Human Rights 2003

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4. A. Michael Froomkin, "The Death of Privacy ?", Stanford Law Review, May 2000.

5. CPSR: Electronic Privacy Principles

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8. FTC: Protecting Privacy and Security of Personal Information in the Global Electronic Marketplace

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10. CPSR: Potential Threats to Privacy

11. An International Survey of Privacy Laws and Practice