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An Ethical Exploration of Privacy and Radio Frequency Identification

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Abstract

This manuscript reviews the background of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) as well as the ethical foundations of individual privacy. This includes a historical perspective on personal privacy, a review of the United States Constitutional privacy interpretations, the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, European Union Regulations, as well as the positions of industry and advocacy groups. A brief review of the information technology ethics literature is also included. The RFID privacy concerns are three-fold: pre-sales activities, sales transaction activities, and post-sales uses. A proposal to address these privacy concerns is detailed, generally based on past philosophical frameworks and specifically on the Fair Information Practices that the Federal Trade Commission has outlined for the electronic marketplace (e-commerce). It is proposed that by application of these Fair Information Practices, the major privacy issues of RFID can be addressed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Information Sciences and Technology, Penn State University, 120 Ridge View Drive, Dunmore, PA, 18512, U.S.A

    Alan R. Peslak

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  1. Alan R. Peslak
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Correspondence to Alan R. Peslak.

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Alan R. Peslak is an Assistant Professor of Information Sciences and Technology at Penn State University, Worthington Scranton. He received his Ph.D. in Information Systems from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has over 25 years of industry experience. Dr. Peslak’s research focuses on the economic, ethical and societal impacts of information technology. He has published in the Information Resources Management Journal, Journal of Computer Information Systems, Information Research, and First Monday. He is a member of ACM, AITP-EDSIG, Financial Executives Institute, IACIS, and ACM-SIGMIS.

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Peslak, A.R. An Ethical Exploration of Privacy and Radio Frequency Identification. J Bus Ethics 59, 327–345 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-005-2928-8

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