The authors (all of the U. of Melbourne, Australia) explore the historical origins and modern developments of the obscure doctrine of breach of confidence in the intellectual property, privacy,
and security laws of British common law, arguing that the doctrine still has modern relevance and influence, even as the precise meaning of its normative standard of `trust and confidence’ has
been adapted over time. They particularly focus on how the doctrine has been contested over the years, from its early development in cases concerning small business, private and domestic
relations, and master-servant dealings in the mid-19th century through to the push towards a broader understanding of the scope of breach of confidence by the late 1980s, in significant part as
a response to the rise of tabloid journalism and attendant concerns about protecting both individual privacy and government secrecy. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
(booknews.com)
