Privacy Invasion Experiences and Perceptions: a Comparison Between Germany and the Arab World

Similar to research in behavioral psychology, research in privacy and usable security has focused mainly on Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies. This excludes a large portion of the population affected by privacy implications of technology. In this work, we report on a survey (N=117) in which we studied technology-related privacy concerns of users from different countries, including developing countries such as Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, and developed countries such as Germany. By comparing results from those countries, and relating our findings to previous work, we brought forth multiple novel insights that are specific to privacy of users from under-investigated countries. We discuss the implications of our findings on the design of privacy protection mechanisms

PNU & DCU Research Digest Vol.1 2017

A Research Digest highlighting the research conducted by students of Business Administration under the supervision of Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University & Dublin City University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabi

The insurance sector in the Middle East and North Africa : challenges and development agenda

This paper studies the causes of the low development of the insurance sector in the Middle East and North African (MENA) region, particularly for long term insurance. The paper shows that life and non-life premiums, as well as assets, are very low relative to expected levels given per capita income and demographic characteristics, and examines the causes of such poor performance. There is a wide range of factors constraining the development of the industry, including the absence of mandatory insurance in key areas, the predominant presence of the state in some countries, gaps in regulation and supervision, unsupportive tax regimes, fragmented market structures, a chronic lack of suitably skilled people, as well as the absence of products that conform with cultural/religious preferences, especially in the case of life insurance. The lack of development of the insurance sector is a matter of concern, as research shows that the sector can contribute to both financial and economic development. Key recommendations to accelerate the development of the sector include wider introduction of mandatory insurance lines that have clear positive externalities, continuing the privatization process for government owned insurers, employing non capital techniques to force rationalization of insurance sectors with too many small and inefficient players, removing tax distortions, taking steps to stabilize motor third party liability markets (typically the largest line of business), strengthening reporting and disclosure, regulating banc-assurance, improving consumer protection, further developing Takaful long term insurance ('Family Insurance'), and establishing regional centers of excellence for skills development.Insurance Law,Insurance&Risk Mitigation,Debt Markets,Climate Change Economics,Emerging Markets

Big Data Privacy Context: Literature Effects On Secure Informational Assets

This article's objective is the identification of research opportunities in the current big data privacy domain, evaluating literature effects on secure informational assets. Until now, no study has analyzed such relation. Its results can foster science, technologies and businesses. To achieve these objectives, a big data privacy Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is performed on the main scientific peer reviewed journals in Scopus database. Bibliometrics and text mining analysis complement the SLR. This study provides support to big data privacy researchers on: most and least researched themes, research novelty, most cited works and authors, themes evolution through time and many others. In addition, TOPSIS and VIKOR ranks were developed to evaluate literature effects versus informational assets indicators. Secure Internet Servers (SIS) was chosen as decision criteria. Results show that big data privacy literature is strongly focused on computational aspects. However, individuals, societies, organizations and governments face a technological change that has just started to be investigated, with growing concerns on law and regulation aspects. TOPSIS and VIKOR Ranks differed in several positions and the only consistent country between literature and SIS adoption is the United States. Countries in the lowest ranking positions represent future research opportunities.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figure

Measuring Compensation from Credit Reporting Damage: A Comparison of Islamic, Saudi, and American Law in Light of Credit Information Reporting Acts

Although there was a simple way to practice credit reporting in the past, in its organized and developed form credit reporting is considered new to international society in general. The first act to regulate credit reporting was established in the last quarter of the twentieth century in the U.S.A. The novelty is even more evident in Saudi laws. The first act in Saudi Arabia was declared in 2008. In Saudi Arabia, credit reporting is associated with many legal issues that must be resolved with reference to both Shariah and Saudi Arabia law. Consequently, legal and Shariah solutions should be provided. This dissertation is a comprehensive study of credit reporting damage and remedies. It tackles issues related to definitions, history, and mechanisms of credit reporting in one section. In another section, this dissertation examines acts or failures to act as the basis for liability. These acts or failures to act may be performed by credit reporting agencies, users, or other entities or persons. This examination is presented in light of the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Credit Information Act and weighed against Islamic law to examine validity in Islamic law as the predominant law in Saudi Arabia. This dissertation also seeks to find weakness and strength in both laws and suggest improvements. Proving the breaches is an essential part to recovering damages. Methods and standards of proof in both legal systems have similarities and differences. Some types of damages inflicted upon consumers are unique to credit reporting, while other types of damages are similar to other legal theories. The most challenging issue is the measure of remedies in the credit reporting context. The types of damages shared by other legal theories share the same measurements of remedies. Nevertheless, damages unique to credit reporting have their own remedial measurements. This dissertation hopefully adds to legal academia, helps the judiciary in Saudi Arabia in interpreting the Credit Information Act, and helps improve deficiencies in the current legal framework of U.S and Saudi legal systems

The Sufficiency of Information Privacy Protection in Saudi Arabia

Since the technology revolution, the rules of privacy law have rapidly changed in many countries to keep pace with new privacy challenges. Surprisingly, Saudi Arabia has no specific data protection legislation. This does not necessarily mean that people’s personal information is totally unprotected. In fact, the legal system in Saudi Arabia relies on both Islamic jurisprudence and written laws. Sharia law, the paramount body of law in Saudi Arabia, places a high value on an individual\u27s privacy and prohibits any invasions therein, except in very limited circumstances. Moreover, other provisions relating to the sanctity and safety of individuals’ personal data are spread out over several legislative instruments. The dissertation discusses whether the current level of protection of individuals’ rights to privacy—particularly in the digital world— offered by both Sharia law and Saudi regulations is sufficient and effective; and recommends practical steps that can be taken to develop a stronger information privacy system

Corporate social and environmental disclosure: evidence from Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study is to elevate the understanding of corporate social and environmental disclosure (CSED) by examining the nature and level of CSED by the listed companies in Saudi Arabia. It analyses CSED determinant’s which includes: firm characteristics and corporate governance aspects. Four theoretical perspectives, namely stakeholder, legitimacy, institutional, and Agency theory, used to assist in better understanding and analysing the findings on the CSED in Saudi Arabia. This study adopts a quantitative approach; the selected sample consists of 164 corporate reports of Saudi companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange, in 2012. Content analysis is used to measure the extent of social and environmental information that are reported. An information index was devised. The data were examined using descriptive and statistical tests multivariate analyses and negative binomial regression. The results show more than 70% of the companies report social and environmental information, most of the disclosures are related to human recourses, community involvement and economics. Human recourses category rate is 41.5 %, community involvement at 24.5%, and economic disclosure is 20%. Less attention is given to environmental, customers and products reporting. The Saudi government encourages companies to follow the Saudisation regulations and the Ministry of Labour regulations. Hence companies tend to report considerably more on information issues addressed by the government. This study examines the factors affecting the level of CSED which are firm characteristics and corporate governance. CSED level is positively associated with firm characteristics (firm size, age, profitability, and leverage), and corporate governance mechanism (government ownership and audit firm size). There were no significant results for managerial ownership, foreign ownership, CEO duality, board size and independency. The determinants of CSED categories indicate that firm age is the most influential factor affecting the five categories and human resource is the category that is related with most of the factors