Legislation and Privacy across Borders

Abstract

This paper explores the influences of cultural values and government structure on technology-based privacy legislation. The following geographic areas are analyzed to better understand this relationship: the United States (U.S.), the European Union (EU), China, and India. Using three primary cultural dimensions from the extensive studies of Geert Hofstede, the findings reveal a significant connection between the strength of certain cultural traits and whether the government is reactive or proactive to technology-based privacy breaches.