Privacy Lost Through Technology And The Care Factor Of Generation Y
Privacy Lost Through Technology And The Care Factor Of Generation Y?
October 9, 2006: In an issues paper released by the Australian Law Reform Commission today, the ‘Review of Privacy’ asks if the emergence of technology has threatened privacy in Australia.
The paper requests public input to determine if Australians feel their privacy is adequately protected. With emerging technologies such as data matching, facial recognition, smartcards and the supposed impartial opinions of Generation Y, the research asks if current privacy laws can keep up.
“Computers now have an amazing capacity to capture, store and match personal information that is routinely collect,” said Professor Weisbrot, ALRC President.
“There’s the potential for this information to be matched with information in other databases, to create comprehensive profiles of individuals, he said. “We want to know how concerned Australians are about this – and what they want done about it.’
The issues paper released today is the first of several reports to be concluded as a major review on Australia’s privacy laws. The document requests public feedback as a means to determining privacy concerns, and also the potential for generational different opinions on the relevance of privacy today.
“We also want to know if tech-savvy young people who have grown up in a ‘surveillance society’ have different view that their parents – for example, they appear to be much more willing to share personal information and photos on the web.”
Another aspect of the inquiry focuses on the complexities of privacy laws. The ALRC says many organisations have to deal with multiple layers of privacy regulation, with some finding the burden of compliance and bureaucratic procedures a costly and time-consuming process.
The request for the inquiry came from the Attorney General’s Department earlier this year. Attorney General, Phillip Ruddock established a number of reasons for setting up the inquiry. Most notably is the rapid advance in communication, information, storage, surveillance and other relevant technologies.
The ALRC says it will make recommendations for changes to privacy laws during the course of the review. Further consultation documents are expected to be released later this year with a final report to be completed in March 2008.