PRIVACY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
- Privacy is about protecting the personal information of individuals. This information allows other people to identify you. Privacy is a vital aspect of our society and we have the right to know who possesses our personal information. Privacy satisfies our need of feeling safe and secure. People should have the right to keep their information private if they are uncomfortable to share such information.
- Personal information is an integral aspect required by organises for them to function properly. This creates an issue as how do we ensure that this information is used for its intended purpose and nothing else. This is why laws are required that organisations are more transparent so individuals can protect their privacy.
- In Australia privacy is legally protected under Privacy Act 1988 and other subsequent amendments.
Consequences of the Privacy Act 1988 mean that information systems that contain personal information must be legally able to:
- Explain why information is being collect and its intended use
- Provide individuals access to their records
- Amend inaccurate information
- Provide details of other organisations that may be provided with information from the system
- Describe to individuals the purpose of holding the information
- Describe how the information is held and how it is managed