An Examination of Privacy Policies of Global On-line E-pharmacies

This paper investigates the differences in privacy policy functions among 90 online pharmacy websites in nine countries in Europe, Asia and North America. Results from this study show that the majority of websites do have privacy policies, but the level of functional protection of consumers varies widely. Even in those countries where strong privacy laws exist, the level of privacy protection adherence is often very low. Most studies of privacy policy issues have concentrated on websites from developed nations, with few studies of the pharmacy industry. A better understanding of this industry, as well as understanding the differences in privacy policy implementation among developing and developed countries, provides important lessons for both businesses and consumers.

The Development of Educational Materials for the Study of Architecture using Computer Game Technology

Computer game technology provides us with the tools to create web-based educational materials for autonomous and collaborative learning. At Worcester, we have researched the use of this technology in various educational contexts. This paper reports one such study; the use of the commercial game engine “Unreal Tournament 2004” (UT2004) to produce materials suitable for education of Architects. We map the concepts and principles of Architectural Design onto the affordances (development tools) provided by UT2004, leading to a systematic procedure for the realization of buildings and urban environments using this game engine. A theory for the production of web-based learning materials which supports both autonomous and collaborative learning is developed. A heuristic evaluation of our materials, used with second-year students is presented. Associated web-pages provide on-line materials for delegates.