Internet users and online privacy: a study assessing whether Internet users´ privacy is adequately protected

Author

Patel, Vasanti ; Juric, Radmila

Author_Institution

South Bank Univ. Bus. Sch., London, UK

fYear

2001

fDate

19-22 June 2001

Firstpage

193

Abstract

The paper examines the current state of Internet privacy. We assess the needs of UK Internet users in terms of online privacy protection, and determine the extent to which current privacy practices were satisfying those needs. Our work examines: (a) Internet users´ attitudes towards online privacy; (b) 50 Web sites´ privacy policies and practices and (c) existing privacy protection for users such as legislation and technological tools. The survey reveals a high level of concerns amongst Internet users related to their privacy in terms of: (i) personally identifying information that they provide to Web sites, (ii) the information that Web sites collect through the use of cookies and IP addresses and (iii) the information derived by tracking users´ online activities.

Keywords

Internet; data privacy; human factors; information resources; legislation; social aspects of automation; IP addresses; Internet privacy; Internet users; UK Internet users; Web sites; cookies; legislation; online activity tracking; online privacy; online privacy protection; privacy policies; privacy practices; privacy protection; technological tools; user attitudes; Cultural differences; Data privacy; Databases; Electronic mail; Internet; Legislation; Protection; Registers; Web sites; World Wide Web;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Information Technology Interfaces, 2001. ITI 2001. Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on

ISSN

1330-1012

Print_ISBN

953-96769-3-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ITI.2001.938018

Filename

938018