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information technology

Security: Technology, Law, and Privacy

Technology seems to operate in a separate universe that doesn’t have to abide by the law. Technology companies are adamant that they are not legally responsible for the harm their services can cause or the activities of their users (“Eroding Exceptionalism”, 2017). Having to monitor their users would be difficult and costly to these companies. Law makers from all parts of the world are considering having to intervene. The technology companies would much rather prefer self-regulation. Urs Gasser, a director and professor at Harvard University, believes that companies indeed have all the information they need to identify bad acting users.

An increase in transparency needs to occur in regards to what monitoring is occurring while consumers conduct their e-transactions. Also, more governmental control of user agreements and online laws in general is necessary. The existing institution of government already provides a stable environment for e-commerce to grow with legal and consumer considerations (Kamel & Hussein, 2001). An additional concern is the speed at which technology evolves compared to the slow reaction of the judicial system (Lawrence, Culjak, & Lawrence, 2003).