Over the course of history, different means of object and person identification as well as verification have evolved for user authentication. In recent years, a new concern has emerged regarding the accuracy of verifiable authentication and protection of personal identifying information (PII), because previous misuses have resulted in significant financial loss. Such losses have escalated more noticeably because of human identity-theft incidents due to breaches of PII within multiple public-access environments. Although the use of various biometric and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies is expanding, resistance to using these technologies for user authentication remains an issue. This study addressed the effect of individuals’ perceptions on their resistance to using multi-method authentication systems (RMS) in public-access environments and uncovered key constructs that may significantly contribute to such resistance. This study was a predictive study to assess the contributions of individuals’ perceptions of the importance of organizational protection of their PII, noted as Perceived Value of Organizational Protection of PII (PVOP), authentication complexity (AC), and invasion of privacy (IOP) on their resistance to using multi-method authentication systems (RMS) in public-access environments. Moreover, this study also investigated if there were any significant differences on the aforementioned constructs based on age, gender, prior experience with identity theft, and acquaintance experience with identity theft. As part of this study, a rollout project was implemented of multi-factor biometric and RFID technologies for system authentication prior to electronic-commerce (e-commerce) use in public-access environments. The experimental group experienced the multi-factor authentication and also was trained on its use. Computer users (faculty & students) from a small, private university participated in the study to determine their level of PVOP, IOP, and AC on their resistance to using the technology in public-access environments. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) was used to formulate a model and test predictive power along with the significance of the contribution of the aforementioned constructs on RMS. The results show that all construct measures demonstrated very high reliability. The results also indicate that the experimental group of the multi-factor authentication had lower resistance than the control group that didn’t use the technology. The mean increases indicate an overall statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups overall. The results also demonstrate that students and participants’ increased levels of education indicate an overall statistically significant decrease in resistance. The findings demonstrate that overall computer authentication training do provide added value in the context of measuring resistance to using newer multi-method authentication technology.

More than a century ago in their definitive work “The Right to Privacy” Samuel D. Warren and Louis D. Brandeis highlighted the challenges posed to individual privacy by advancing technology. Today’s workplace is characterised by its reliance on computer technology, particularly the use of email and the Internet to perform critical business functions. Increasingly these and other workplace activities are the focus of monitoring by employers. There is little formal regulation of electronic monitoring in Australian or United States workplaces. Without reasonable limits or controls, this has the potential to adversely affect employees’ privacy rights. Australia has a history of legislating to protect privacy rights, whereas the United States has relied on a combination of constitutional guarantees, federal and state statutes, and the common law. This thesis examines a number of existing and proposed statutory and other workplace privacy laws in Australia and the United States. The analysis demonstrates that existing measures fail to adequately regulate monitoring or provide employees with suitable remedies where unjustifiable intrusions occur. The thesis ultimately supports the view that enacting uniform legislation at the national level provides a more effective and comprehensive solution for both employers and employees. Chapter One provides a general introduction and briefly discusses issues relevant to electronic monitoring in the workplace. Chapter Two contains an overview of privacy law as it relates to electronic monitoring in Australian and United States workplaces. In Chapter Three there is an examination of the complaint process and remedies available to a hypothetical employee (Mary) who is concerned about protecting her privacy rights at work. Chapter Four provides an analysis of the major themes emerging from the research, and also discusses the draft national uniform legislation. Chapter Five details the proposed legislation in the form of the Workplace Surveillance and Monitoring Act, and Chapter Six contains the conclusion.