Privacy in the Information Age

Privacy can mean different things to different people. It can mean seclusion, or it could mean the ability to control access to personal information. Most Americans expect that a letter will get to its destination unopened and that no one will be allowed to secretly listen in on phone calls without a court order. If the police suspect someone has committed a crime, they have to obtain a warrant from a judge before searching the person's home. Besides protecting specific places and activities, privacy can also mean protection for intimacy and family life, and indeed, the right to make decisions about whether to have a family, without interference from the government. In a society where communication and information technology are central to economic and social life, many privacy advocates feel that the right of people to control how information about them is obtained and used is deeply intertwined with the experience of autonomy and liberty. "Privacy in the Information Age, Revised Edition" provides readers with clear and essential information needed to define, understand, and research this important issue. The text and chronology have been updated to include appropriate events and policy changes since the publication of the original edition. Also, the annotated bibliography, an integral part of the "Library in a Book" series, has been updated to include sources published or posted on the Internet since the first edition. This book serves as a lively reference resource and useful research guide to help all those interested in issues related to privacy in the information age, including policymakers, administrators, and attorneys, as well as teachers, students, parents, and the general public.