This thesis is an exploration of privacy as it relates to the Internet in general,
and e-mail communication in particular.
It looks at the philosophy of privacy and tracks the privacy debate in both an
academic and legal framework. It examines the Australian Privacy Act of 1988
and similar legislation overseas. Current government approaches to privacy
and privacy regulation are also examined providing a legislative/political context
for the research.
The fieldwork component of the thesis attempts to unravel individual
perceptions of privacy. It overlays those perceptions of privacy with an
examination of the effects of Internet technology on a conceptual understanding
of privacy.
There is no doubt that the discussion of privacy and the electronic age is
extensive but discussion with individuals about their place in the debate and,
indeed, the legislation is yet to be tackled in an extensive manner. Until we
mesh the views of individuals in the community about their place in the new
communications technology and privacy debate, we will not reap the full
benefits of advances in communications technology. Consumers will remain
reluctant about and suspicious of breaches of their privacy via the Internet.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219518 |
| Date | January 1997 |
| Creators | Williams, Elizabeth A., n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Communication |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Elizabeth A. Williams |
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