The growing field of nanotechnology has received considerable attention as of late. The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative has committed billions of dollars toward research on the nanoscale, and proponents of nanotechnology claim that its benefits will range from curing cancer to ending poverty. This article takes a look at the possible…

Submitted to Congress by Senator William V. Roth, Jr., of the Committee on Governmental Affairs, this document reports favorably on Senate Bill 786 (the Information Age Commission Act of 1986), legislation designed to establish a commission to study the impact of computer and communications systems on American society. The report provides: (1) a…

Little is known about the implications of individual differences in privacy preferences. To explore the relationship between privacy preferences and the style and quality of social interaction in a first encounter, 77 of 320 college students completing the Privacy Preference Scale were grouped according to their low (20 male, 20 female) or high…

The findings from a study of 42 administrators in a large metropolitan school district supported the hypothesis that the use of privacy regulation mechanisms is deliberate and dynamic. The researchers considered the age and sex of the administrators, the length of time they'd held their current jobs, their tendencies toward Type A or Type B…

The development of the Privacy Preference Scale is described. Six subscales were constructed from a principal axis factor analysis. The ability of the subscales to differentiate between age and sex groups, and their relationship to personality measures and to self-reported privacy oriented behavior are presented. (Author/RC)

This document provides the public with a single document containing all regulatory provisions pertaining to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Included is a summary of the major comments received after publication of a notice of proposed rule-making. Each summary of comments is followed by a response that indicates whether or not a…

The question of whether protection against unauthorized use of a person's name of likeness for commercial gain is subsumed under property rights or the right to privacy remains unsettled. The thesis of this article is that either area may be appropriate, depending on the plaintiff's motivation in bringing the action. The case of Lugosi v.…

The Tenth Circuit Court affirmed that the University of New Mexico must comply with an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) subpoena for personnel records. The author concludes after examining the case that the court's decision will probably not have an enduring effect in defining employee privacy interests and EEOC access to records. (JT)

Since third party access seems to resist effective control, it may be necessary to restrict the contents of student records to the barest minimum. With the least amount of information being kept, the practice of sharing will be reduced and so will the potential harm to students. (Author)

This article explores some of the ethical and legal considerations surrounding the issue of counselors' obligations to reveal or withhold from clients information obtained during the course of their professional relationship. (Author)

Traces the events that led to the passage of Colorado's Confidentiality of Library Records Law. The growing national trend to protect patron records is also discussed, and practical suggestions for librarians to use in dealing with privacy laws are provided. (EM)

The third in a series of four articles, this discusses the legal implications of the use of medical tests to prevent drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace and to reduce absenteeism, tardiness, reduced productivity, and accidents that result from employee substance abuse. Cites recent cases. (JOW)

A library director describes her experience of safeguarding the confidentiality of the circulation records of a woman who went on a shooting rampage at a shopping mall. The lawyer who represented the library discusses the legal responsibility of public and school libraries concerning confidentiality. (CLB)

Reviews the history of transborder data flow (TDF) and the principles set forth by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Glenerin Declaration. Two major issues relating to TDF--national sovereignty and economic and trade concerns--are discussed. Future issues, including an international policy and standardization, are…

Investigates recent developments in the right to access by analyzing three Supreme Court decisions, as well as several relevant cases in federal appellate courts. (FL)