PurposeDespite grave public concerns over information privacy and ongoing academic explorations of privacy policy, there is a general lack of understanding toward this issue in the legal context in China, the largest e-commerce market in the world. Departing from the extant literature of general discussion in nature, the authors undertook an exploratory study on the efficacy of e-commerce websites' privacy policies in China from the legal perspective.Design/methodology/approachThe authors drew on a qualitative grounded theory approach to identify selective codes relating to the focal issue and established a theoretical framework therefrom. The authors then conducted theoretical integration by linking them to the Theory of Development Blocks and the System Justification Theory.FindingsThe research identifies a general distrust of Chinese consumers toward privacy policies and highlights that despite their growing concerns about privacy, the privacy policies are largely ineffective in reflecting legal enforcement, changing their perceptions or influencing purchase behaviors. It also reveals that the current Chinese legislation is unable to fully render consumers' confidence in e-commerce websites' privacy policies effectiveness and privacy protection due to its limited recognition and influences among them.Originality/valueThe research has multiple ramifications. The authors empirically confirmed a mismatch between customers' perception of privacy policies and their actual behaviors and then theoretically explained the seemingly conflicting scenario in the context of development block of legal enforcement and system justification. The authors theorized the absence of the legal enforcement in privacy policies to supplement the legal perspective to the literature. The research further leads us to suggest that the time has come to update and strongly enforce privacy regulation in China to fuel the further development of e-commerce sector in practice.

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With the increasing use of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT), a new method of bullying has emerged known as cyberbullying. It is indeed ironic that the advancement in communication tools designed to improve the life of mankind is also the cause of much pain. More and more frequently we do read or hear of cases of young children being victims because of the misuse of ICT which have in some extreme cases led to them committing suicide. Unfortunately the ICT’s very nature of being accessible from anywhere and anytime, and its often anonymous nature makes it difficult to regulate what children say or do to each other. This paper discusses the scope of the cyberbullying problem amongst the young in Australia and considers what role the government, the courts and schools should play in detecting, deterring or preventing such conduct.

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Over the last decade, various pieces of legislation have been enacted and policies developed both on national and international fronts in order to promote the usage of electronic signatures. However, paper-based signatures are still the preferred instrument to electronic signatures for entering into contracts and commercial transactions. What are the causes of this apathy on the part of the business community? Why is there a resistance towards electronic signatures in this era of e-business?This paper conducts a comprehensive empirical investigation to examine factors that have contributed to the low acceptance of electronic signatures, in particular the digital signature, in the Australian business community. The six main factors that have been identified are: the prevailing culture and customs associated with manuscript signatures; ignorance about the electronic signature technology; legal concerns; security issues; the cost of using the technology; and the complexity associated with its setting up and usage. The paper also makes some useful suggestions that may encourage businesses to use electronic signatures in order to facilitate the growth of e-commerce.