210063 PS F, G6: Information Society and E-Government (2008W)

Identity in the Information Society is now a key issue for citizens, business and state.
Some particular topics to be covered in this course deals with the growing use of biometrics for personal recognition, identification, and authentication. Despite the growing use of biometric technology, very few laws currently exist that even mention biometrics, let alone the use of biometrics with respect to privacy.
We examine recent electronic universal identifiers and privacy developements in the constitutional and legal context of data processed in Europe, and in the USA, as well as the applicable principles on the international levels for electronic data transfer of personal data.
The course will explore the developing relationships between identity, security and privacy in an information-intensive society.
The questions that are raised in this area are: Should there be an absolute single identity for all social purposes or might people legitimately deploy different identities in their everyday lives? Can identity management be reconciled with notions of privacy that prevailed in a pre-digital age, or does privacy need re-defining for the current era? How far should state bureaucracies have unfettered access to personal information in order to maximise returns from eGovernment systems that interoperate across departmental boundaries? What technologies are emerging that could revolutionise the interface of conflict between information harvesting and the maintenance of security and privacy? How can new advances in technology in this area be exploited, and what impact might these developments have on our sense of identity and expectations of privacy? In the name of better marketing or more efficient delivery of goods and services, can we and should we relentlessly track physical persons, their financial transactions, and their health?
These phenomena deserve in-depth study, for advancement in research approaches and learning.