A Frame Analysis of Privacy Regulation in an International Arena: Understanding Interdependency in a Globalized World

Abstract

The conceptualization of privacy has been the subject of much debate for more than a century in scholar-ship ranging from social philosophy and sociology to law, finance, and medicine. Legal issues concerning the right to privacy, moreover, are part of a complex web of state and national laws. This chapter examines the international legal issues resulting from the European Union’s 1998 Data Protection and Privacy Directive and its effects on online interactions in a global context. The authors believe this focus will help individuals interacting in international cyberspace understand and adapt to varying cultural and national perspectives of privacy in such contexts.