10/15/09 Word Post: Privacy

Privacy is the ability of an individual or group of people that seclude themselves or information about themselves and thereby reveal themselves selectively. The boundaries and content of what is considered private differ among cultures and individuals, but share basic common themes. The right against unsanctioned invasion of privacy by the government, corporations or individuals is part of many countries' privacy laws, and in some cases, constitutions. Almost all countries have laws, which in some way limit privacy. Privacy may be voluntarily sacrificed, normally in exchange for perceived benefits and very often with specific dangers and losses, although this is a very strategic view of human relationships. The concept of privacy is most often associated with Western culture, English and North American in particular. According to some researchers, the concept of privacy sets Anglo-American culture apart even from other Western European cultures such as French or Italian. The concept is not universal and remained virtually unknown in some cultures until recent times. Linguists sometimes regard a word “privacy” as untranslatable. Many languages lack a specific word for "privacy". Concerning privacy laws of the United States, privacy is not guaranteed per se by the Constitution of the United States. The Supreme Court of the United States has found that other guarantees have "penumbras" that implicitly grant a right to privacy against government intrusion.

In the case of some technologies, such as the printing press or the Internet, the increased ability to share information can lead to new ways in which privacy can be breached. Privacy uses the theory of natural rights, and generally responds to new information and communication technologies. In North America, Warren and Brandeis’ assertion that privacy is the “right to be let alone” (Warren & Brandeis, 1890) focuses on protecting individuals. This citation was a response to recent technological developments, such as photography, and sensationalist journalism. Warren and Brandeis declared that information which was previously hidden and private was now shouted from the rooftops. Privacy rights are inherently intertwined with information technology.

“Each individual is continually engaged in a personal adjustment process in which he balances the desire for privacy with the desire for disclosure and communication of himself to others, in light of the environmental conditions and social norms set by the society in which he lives.” - Alan Westin, Privacy and Freedom.

The intrusion of privacy is exactly what I am going to be doing in



Tim Wafa (January 2008). "Internet Privacy Rights - A Pragmatic Legal Perspective". Berkeley
Electronic Press. http://works.bepress.com/tim_wafa/. Retrieved 2008-08-17.

Quinn, Michael J. (2009). Ethics for the Information Age. ISBN 0-321-53685-1.

Westin, A. (1968). Privacy and freedom (Fifth ed.). New York, U.S.A.: Atheneum.