Personal Data Privacy and the Internet - A Guide for Data Users

Glossary

Clicktrails - these are information derived from an individual's behaviour, pathway, or choices expressed while visiting a web site. They contain the links that a user has followed and are logged on the web server (the ISP's computer, for those who do not run their web server) normally used for purpose of troubleshooting and system maintenance.

Cookie - A small computer file that is sent from a web server to an user's computer for the purpose of future identification of that computer on future visits to the same web site.

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - It is a non-profit civil liberties organisation working in the public interest to promote privacy, free expression and social responsibility in new media. Together with CommerceNet, it launches the TRUSTe program which is a non-profit, global initiative for establishing consumer trust and confidence in electronic commerce.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) - A company that provides access and connectivity to the Internet to members of the public and companies. Some ISPs also provide service to host web pages for their customers.

Encryption - Encoding information and messages in such a way that they cannot, in principle, be read by someone other than the intended recipient who has access to a key or password.

On-line submission - Specifically in the Internet context . . . sending data, usually entered on forms, through the Internet.

Privacy enhancing technologies - As opposed to privacy diminishing technologies, these are technical implementations that provide safeguards to the protection of data privacy. Common techniques include encryption, digital signatures, trusted third party concept, anonymous remailers operation, etc.

Server - Software that performs a function on request from another computer, or another computer program running on the same computer (the client), and hands back the result to the client.

Site - In the context of the World Wide Web, this is a collection of web pages, pictures and programs that will control how an Internet user's computer displays information in its browser, e-mail software or other software.

Spamming - The sending of unsolicited advertising of goods or services using e-mails.

Web pages - Screens of information and graphics that appear when a browser program is properly connected to a web site.

Web server - Computer software that accepts requests to show web pages and responds to those requests. Also supports other functions of World Wide Web activity.

World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) - It was founded in 1994 to develop common protocols for the evolution of the World Wide Web. It is an international industry consortium, jointly hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Laboratory for Computer Science in the United States; the Institute National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique in Europe; and the Keio University Shonan Fujisawa Campus in Asia.

[The information provided in this Guide is for general reference only. It does not provide an exhaustive guide to the application of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance. For a complete and definitive statement of the law, direct reference should be made to the Ordinance itself.]