Privacy

New report on privacy laws and practices

The Australian Law Reform Commission’s report For Your Information: Australian Privacy Law and Practice (ALRC 108), was released on Monday 11 August 2008. It recommends 295 changes to privacy laws and practices.

The key recommendations in the report include:

• Simplification and streamlining
• Uniform privacy principles and national consistency
• Regulating cross-border data flows
• Rationalisation of exemptions and exceptions
• Improved complaint handling and stronger penalties
• More comprehensive credit reporting
• Health privacy
• Children and young people
• Data breach notification
• Cause of action for a serious invasion of privacy

The Privacy Final Report and detailed Briefing Notes on 10 key areas can be found at www.alrc.gov.au

Libraries and privacy guidelines.

ALIA's 'Libraries and privacy guidelines are based on the principle: 'Libraries and information services shall protect each user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.'[From The Glasgow Declaration on Libraries, Information Services and Intellectual Freedom, Proclaimed by the Council of IFLA 19 August 2002, Glasgow, Scotland.]

The guidelines are intended to assist libraries to develop policies and practices to comply with privacy codes, principles and related legislation.