Regulating the Internet: Privacy under the microscope
Master of Arts (Communication) Thesis at the University of Canberra 1997

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• Abstract

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.

• Thesis Structure

The first part of the thesis is a critical analysis of conceptions of privacy in an academic, legal, historical and political sense.

A literature analysis in Chapter Two draws on contemporary theoretical and philosophical debate.

An examination and explanation of the Internet and the adoption of new technologies is found in Chapter Three.

The Privacy Act 1988 forms the basis of a legislative review in Chapter Four along with an examination of current government approaches to privacy protection and new technology is also found in Chapter Four.

Chapter Five reports on the study which analyses individual perceptions of privacy from a sample group of the occupants of Parliament House in Canberra.

Chapter Six illustrates the results of the survey including demographic profiles and more detailed field work outcomes.

Finally, in Chapter Seven we draw conclusions from the research results.

• Full Version

The full text of the MA dissertation is available for download here.