The data mining of personal information in the Internet society: Anarchy, state and utopia

The dissertation examines information privacy issues in the 21 st century, focusing on the Internet, and the availability of data mining applications.;Chapter I addresses problems stemming from commercial uses of data mining applications to analyze personal information. It provides a technical introduction to data mining, and explains how it differs from other forms of analysis. Thereafter, it draws out privacy concerns addressed in today's literature, and examines how they are affected by data mining. The Chapter emphasizes two concerns: the ability to discriminate between users on the basis of personal data; and manipulate the public by providing tailored content. This Chapter concludes by outlining a public opinion campaign to counter these practices.;Chapter II focuses on solutions to the online information privacy problems data mining exacerbates. It draws out the flow of personal data in today's information society; addressing the collection of personal information, its storage, subsequent analysis and final uses. The Chapter argues that solutions are best situated in the final stage of the data flow---the implementation stage. This Chapter emphasizes the benefits of personal information analysis to the collecting firms, and their customers.;Chapter III addresses concerns that personal information allows content providers to impede on their users' autonomy by providing specifically-tailored content on the basis of their personal information. This Chapter also suggests several options to protect the users' autonomy in a way that allows content providers to continue using personal data.;Chapter IV addresses three additional approaches to solving the problems of information privacy: transparency, anonymity and pseudonymity. Transparency calls for broad disclosure of personal information, promotes equality and generates accountability. Anonymity shields users from the collection of information and allows them to interact and transact freely. The Chapter draws out the advantages and disadvantages of these solutions. Finally, this Chapter introduces pseudonymity, which permits users to interact through the use of a limited number of pseudonyms, and in that way shield themselves from possible detriments, while allowing collectors to partially benefit from personal information analysis.