Information Privacy and E-Technologies

Abstract

The use of various e-technologies for e-commerce, e-government, and mobile commerce is characterized by the collection of personal information—both routinely as well as surreptitiously—and the possibility of misuse of that information. Various uses of e-technologies that collect or disseminate personal information include corporate and government databases, e-mail, and wireless communications. (For a discussion of clickstream tracking and spyware, hardware and software watermarks, and biometric devices, see Szewczak, 2005) The main challenge to personal information privacy is the surreptitious monitoring of user behavior without the user’s consent and the possible misuse of the collected information resulting in financial and personal harm to the user. In light of this reality, people limit their use of e-technologies, even to the point of limiting the success of e-commerce (Szewczak, 2004). Our focus is primarily on e-technology use in the United States of America, though clearly e-technology is global in nature and poses challenges and issues for societies around the world. Also, in light of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and the U.S. government’s response to them, the issue of information privacy takes on a new urgency (for more information, see www.privacyinternational.org).