Information Policy, Law & Ethics Theme

Information Policy, Law & Ethics Theme

This theme includes fundamental and applied research in all aspects of the legal, ethical and social dimensions of information creation, dissemination, management. It also includes research and consultancy on all aspects of policy formulation, and the impact of policies, regulations and legislation on library and information services and professionals.

Research partnerships with practitioners, policy makers and other researchers in the University, other academic institutions and other organisations underpin our activities.

We pursue research in three specific areas as illustrated below by the selected examples of related projects:

Area 1: Information policy, includes access to and use of public sector information, policy aspects of e-government and e-democracy, censorship, freedom of expression
            - Access to Public Information (AHRC)

Area 2: Information law, particularly intellectual property rights, data protection, freedom of information, contractual and non-contractual liability for information, legal aspects of e-commerce, freedom of information
            - International Study on the Impact of Copyright Law on Digital Preservation (JISC)
            - Privacy Impact Assessments (Information Commissioner's Office)
            - Partnering on Copyright (JISC/SURF)
            - Defamation on the Internet

Area 3: Information ethics, including information profession ethics, information ethics in public and private sector organisation and ethical decision making and behaviour by information users
            - Privacy in the digital library environment (Re:Source)