E-mail has created friction between school districts' proprietary needs and employees' privacy rights. This article examines e-mail law (constitutional, statutory, and common) and issues (employer monitoring, discover problems, admissibility, and attorney-client privilege) and provides policy guidelines. The 1996 Communications Decency Act,…

Studied social presence in an online learning environment and focused on three elements: social context, online communication, and interactivity: that emerged as important in establishing a sense of community among online learners. Discusses the privacy factor, learner characteristics, computer-mediated communication, and course design.…

Describes potential situations where patron privacy can be endangered by the presence of information technology and how academic librarians can protect patron information and prepare patrons for safe information seeking in the online world. Discusses the USA PATRIOT Act, search warrants, and acceptable use policy. (Author/LRW)

Argues that 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act, providing increased protection against unauthorized access to copyrighted electronic media, and the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, extending the term of most copyrighted books, unduly burden users of electronic media and books. Discusses the negative impact of recent federal laws to…

Reviews controversies that have arisen at two California community colleges because campus newspapers were accused of violating the Buckley Amendment by publishing reports that student leaders were ineligible to hold their offices based on confidential academic records. Summarizes the Buckley Amendment and various court decisions related to…

Interprets four news stories about Joyce Brown, a homeless women who, against her will, was institutionalized by the city of New York. Examines how television news marks boundaries between the marginal and the mainstream, between a major socioeconomic problem demanding collective engagement and a personal problem requiring private remedy. (MS)

Discusses origins of Transborder Data Flows (TDFs) as an international problem in the early 1970s. Shows how technological development in telecommunications and networks has made regulation more complex and urgent. Recommends the internationalization of the Key Escrowed Encryption System (KEES) and the development of broad international TDF…

A case study of a teacher committee collaborating on development of school policy illuminates such barriers to teacher collaboration and school-based management as time constraints and lack of inservice support. A major difficulty is that the culture of teaching is based on privacy and individualism. (SK)

After accepting the presidency of the College of Wooster (Ohio), a highly-qualified and respected woman withdrew the day before taking office in the wake of rumors about a long-term relationship with another woman. Concern within the college community about the situation centers on two issues: homophobia and privacy for administrators. (MSE)

Examines recent findings that could influence the use of e-mail on university campuses. National privacy legislation and the inviolability of student records are discussed. It is concluded that more effective safeguards are necessary, and that the current steps are inadequate for the protection of students' rights. (Author/LRW)

As schools merge onto the information highway, districts must address their liability associated with Internet access. Schools need a practical policy supporting high access to global educational resources while limiting district liability. USENET provides easy access to controversial and pornographic materials. This article outlines federal…

Gives a historical explanation of library confidentiality policies and procedures and reviews notable invasions of patron privacy through use of library records by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service. Also reports on a study that examined patron confidentiality policies in Texas academic library reference…

The dysfunctions associated with artificial workgroups require attention to the social context of work. Complex issues of safety and security related to information technology may necessitate a new classification of experts, information rangers, with policing and investigative authority. (SK)

Interviews with 12 Kansas school executives and questionnaire data received from 49 board presidents and 72 superintendents disclosed that the majority had perceived the occurrence of communications that violated employees' privacy. Training, ethical awareness, and a well-written policy are part of the solution. A model policy is provided to guide…

The Pueblo Indians have developed creative and assertive techniques for interacting with tourists that help the Pueblo cope with the pressures of tourist contact, fortify their cultural boundaries, and exercise control over potentially uncomfortable situations. Secrecy and community regulations are examined in relation to host/guest dynamics and…