Foreword

Small and medium businesses in Australia are making increasing use of Internet technologies, recognising they can be a valuable tool in improving the efficiency and profitability of their businesses. It is therefore important to ensure that the use of Internet technologies is properly understood and effectively managed.

Trusting the Internet is aimed at helping Australian small and medium businesses understand the key issues of Internet security - when browsing a website, sending emails, conducting e-commerce transactions, dealing with government agencies online and conducting e-business activities.

It explains in simple, easy to understand terminology how to ensure that you and your business are secure in the online environment.

Trusting the Internet is the first component of an initiative that aims to accelerate the uptake of e-commerce by small and medium sized business that was announced by the Government in September 2001 as part of a broader assistance package for Australian Small Business.

The publication responds to market research commissioned by the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE) that indicated that small and medium businesses were confused about emerging Internet security technologies and mystified about how they could secure e-commerce transactions. The study revealed that business and consumer concerns about security and privacy were in turn impediments to the expansion of e-commerce in the Australian economy.

This guide explains the simple use of secure Internet technologies and aims to make businesses aware of the latest developments in areas such as privacy and the protection of online data. This has become particularly important with the introduction of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 that came into effect on 21 December 2001.

I commend this report to small and medium sized enterprises, and encourage them to adopt a proactive approach to realising their e-commerce goals through Trusting the Internet.

Senator The Hon Richard Alston
Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts