Access and privacy of distribution land related information

Abstract Introduction Increasing computing power and sophisticated telecommunications technology are making the development of distributed information systems a reality. The use of such a distributed environment provides a new and powerful means of gathering, processing and disseminating a vast array of information products. There are, however, some facets to this environment which are not adequately dealt with by current policies in many jurisdictions. Some of the institutional issues which appear to be floundering in the wake of rapid advances in information technology relate to the ownership of information, the role of the private and public sectors in the distribution of information, the rights of access to information, and information privacy.