Privacy and Privacy Statements
Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those they choose to give the information to.
Why Must I?
Commonwealth Government agencies must comply with the Information Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988. The Information Privacy Principles deal with all stages of the processing of personal information - setting out standards for the collection, use, disclosure, quality and security of personal information. The Information Privacy Principles are set out in section 14 of the Privacy Act 1988.
Better practice guidelines were mandated under the 2000 Government Online Strategy:
- Guidelines for Federal and ACT Government Websites (Office of the Privacy Commissioner).
Under the Privacy Guidelines agencies should have a prominently displayed privacy statement:
- Guidelines for Federal and ACT Government Websites: Guideline 1 - Privacy Statements (Office of the Privacy Commissioner).
How Do I?
The Privacy Guidelines for Federal and ACT Government Websites contain four guidelines with which an agency's website(s) must comply. The guidelines are:
Guideline 1 - Openness
Agency websites should incorporate a prominently displayed Privacy Statement which states what information is collected, for what purpose and how this information is used, if it is disclosed and to whom and addresses any other relevant privacy issues.
Guideline 2 - Collection of personal information via websites
Agencies that solicit or collect personal information via their websites must comply with IPPs 1-3. Agency website privacy statements should include a statement regarding this collection which complies with IPP 2. Where an online form is used to collect personal information, the statement should be on the same page as the form or prominently linked to it.
Guideline 3 - Security
If personal information is collected via an agency website this should be done by sufficiently secure means. Individuals should be provided with alternative means of providing personal information to the agency, other than via the website. The Privacy statement should address security issues where appropriate.
Guideline 4 - Publication
Where agencies are considering the publication of personal information regarding individuals on the web they should be sure that this complies with IPPs 1-3 and 10 and 11.
Privacy resources:
- Privacy and the Public Sector - Government (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
- Government Guidelines (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
- Guidelines on Workplace E-mail, Web Browsing and Privacy (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
- On-line Privacy Tools (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
- Commonwealth and ACT Government FAQs (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
Spam resources:
- Spam & e–Security (Australian Communications and Media Authority)
- Spam (Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy)
Who Can Help?
Privacy:
Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Privacy Hotline: 1300 363 992
Email: privacy@privacy.gov.au
Spam:
Australian Communications and Media Authority
Web: Spam Act advice form
