Privacy as a shared feature of the e-phenomenon: a comparison of privacy policies in e-government, e-commerce and e-teaching

One of the characteristics shared by most, if not all, aspects of the e-phenomenon is that it poses new challenges to privacy. This paper will discuss the concept of privacy and analyse which differences regarding the attention to privacy exist between different sectors. Based on a broad literature review on the ethical foundations of privacy, we have identified three research questions: What are the reasons given by organisations to protect privacy? What is the perceived nature of privacy? How do organisations address different stakeholders? These questions are explored by analysing the privacy policies of organisations from three different sectors: e-commerce, e-teaching and e-government. We will argue that the three sectors come to different answers to the above questions but that privacy is an overarching concern that needs to be addressed. It is therefore justified to say that the e-phenomenon exists, at least in so far as it creates a necessity for organisations to consider the issues raised by privacy.

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