Privacy is the right to - be left alone when you want to be
- have control over your own personal possessions
- not be observed without your consent.
Privacy is essentially the right to be free of unwanted intrusion into your private life. Privacy has several dimensions. Psychologically, it's a need for personal space. All of us to a greater or lesser extent need to feel in control of our most personal possessions, and personal information belongs on that list. Legally, privacy is necessary for self-protection. If you put the key to your house in a special hiding place in your yard, you want to keep that information private. This, and other information, could be abused and cause you grief. Privacy is becoming a very big issue for legislators and citizens alike, because of the unprecedented ability that individuals and companies have to collect, keep, and cross match information - often personal information - on fellow citizens. If you use a checkbook, a credit card, fill out an application for anything, enter a sweepstakes at the grocery store, or get a loan, the information you provide, as well as information about you gleaned from other sources, is in one or more databases. To find out more, visit any or all of the following Web sites: |
