The Role of Self-Regulation of Privacy and the Internet

Abstract

For several years now, Internet users have ranked privacy as the issue that concerns them the most. This paper traces the development of privacy rights on the web with emphasis on the USA and EU. The paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches to regulation, especially industry self-regulation. Both conceptually and in practice, there are problems with all the modes of regulation. In the U.S.A. there is pressure towards government regulation away from self-regulation. This is due in part to the high-profile breaches of privacy that went unpunished in the self-regulatory regime. It concludes with a basic set of guidelines on privacy for websites.

Additional information

About the Authors

Peng Hwa Ang is Vice-Dean, School of Communication Studies, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. His research interests are in Internet law and policy. The author wishes to thank the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy, Centre for Socio-Legal Studies, University of Oxford, for the fellowship in January and February 2001 that made the research and writing possible.