User privacy in the digital library environment: a matter of concern for information professionals
| Published date | 01 December 2001 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01435120110406309 |
| Pages | 364-370 |
| Date | 01 December 2001 |
| Author | Paul Sturges,Vincent Teng,Ursula Iliffe |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science |
User privacy in the
digital library
environment: a matter of
concern for information
professionals
Paul Sturges
Vincent Teng and
Ursula Iliffe
Introduction
The Legal and Policy Research Group at
Loughborough University's Department of
Information Science is working on a
substantial investigation, funded by
Re:source, of the issue of user privacy in the
digital library environment. This paper
explains why the group believes that privacy
has a fresh importance as digital resources
and systems become increasingly important in
libraries. The nature of public and
professional concerns is illustrated through a
brief account of the effects of current
technical and legal developments. The
group's approach to investigating the
implications of this and developing guidance
on privacy matters for information
professionals is explained.
Privacy as a public concern
The general public has identified privacy as a
major concern about the digital world at the
beginning of the twenty-first century. Surveys
of the public perception of digital technology
and the networked environment have, until
recently, tended to show that harmful
material on the Internet was the greatest
source of anxiety. A shift in opinion seems to
have taken place during 2000 with the fear of
Internet content not so dominant. At the
same time the issue of user privacy has
emerged as a much stronger concern than
formerly. For instance, the UCLA Internet
Report found that 63.6 per cent of Internet
users and 76.1 per cent of non-users agreed
with the statement that ``people who go online
put their privacy at risk'' (UCLA, 2000). An
American Express survey of 11,000
consumers found that 79 per cent cited online
privacy and security as a major concern,
whilst 57 per cent of people surveyed by the
US National Consumer League said that they
did not buy online because of fears for the
security of their credit card numbers and
personal details (Consumers International,
2001, p. 11). Yet another survey found that
nearly 90 per cent of online consumers said
they want the right to control how their
personal information is used after it is
collected, and 80 per cent support a policy
that prohibits the sale of data to third parties
(Forrester, 2001).
The authors
Paul Sturges is a Reader, Vincent Teng is a
Postgraduate Student and Ursula Iliffe is a Research
Associate, all based at the Department of Information
Science, Loughborough University, UK. E-mail:
r.p.sturges@lboro.ac.uk
Keywords
Confidentiality, Data protection, Libraries, Ethics, Privacy,
Library users
Abstract
User privacy has taken on a fresh importance as digital
resources and systems become increasingly important in
libraries. Publicand professional concern has been aroused
by numerous instancesof the privacy-threatening effects of
current technicaland legal developments. Not only do loan
and other transactions leave traces in library management
systems, but Internet use at public terminals in libraries is
also vulnerable to intrusion. Whilst the UK data protection
legislation offers protection to personal data, new
legislation such as the 2000 Regulation of Investigatory
Powers Act suggest a different tendency. The Legal and
Policy Research Group at Loughborough University's
Department of Information Science is working on a
substantial investigation, funded by Re:source, of the issue
of user privacy in the digitallibrary environment. Guidelines
on privacy matters for information professionals are being
developed on the basis of the investigation.
Electronic access
The research register for this journal is available at
http://www.mcbup.com/research_registers
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is
available at
http://www.emerald-library.com/ft
364
Library Management
Volume 22 .Number 8/9 .2001 .pp. 364±370
#MCB University Press .ISSN 0143-5124
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