Along　with　the　rapid　growth　of　the　number　of　intelligent　mobile　devices　as　well　as　applications　in　recent　years　owing　to　the　development　of　network　information　and　telecommunication　technologies,　personal　privacy　faces　a　unprecedented　level　of　risk.　This　seems　to　be　especially　inevitable　in　digital　forensic　investigations.　Consequently,　there　is　an　urgent　need　to　balance　the　desire　for　privacy　preservation　and　information　extraction　in　the　process　of　digital　forensic　investigations.　This　paper　focuses　on　the　issues　related　to　personal　privacy　protection　by　proposing　a　digital　forensics　framework　based　on　the　theory　of　ontology.　In　addition　to　introducing　the　basic　concepts　that　will　lead　to　the　establishment　of　the　framework,　we　will　also　present　some　experiments　that　can　be　viewed　as　the　demonstration　of　the　effectiveness　of　the　framework　in　privacy　protection　in　the　process　of　digital　forensic　investigations.　The　framework　can　thus　serve　as　the　foundation　in　the　design　of　digital　forensic　tools　and　systems　that　can　respect　the　privacy　of　individuals.　©　2015　SERSC.