Contemporary Privacy Issues - Related Effects - The Research Center on Computing & Society

Contemporary Privacy Issues

Willis H. Ware

1. Introduction
2. Historical Development
3. United States Posture
4. Source of the Problem
5. Privacy as a Public Policy Issue
6. Contemporary Privacy
6.1 Current Example
7. Public Policy Again
7.1 An Illustration – CNI
8. The Broadened Public Issue
9. Possible Approaches to Protection
10. Related Effects
11. Privacy as Social Equity
12. New Privacy Versus Old
13. Context for New Privacy
14. Privacy Versus Public Distaste
15. The Future for Privacy
16. References

Related Effects

Quite aside from privacy issues and designing protective measures, wide use of personal information has other implications and consequences, ranging from positive payoff to serious and real harm.

There are certain benefits for many individuals from widespread use of personal information. Public surveys that are undeniably conducted statistically correctly indicate that Americans value privacy, but are quick to exchange it for the affluence and life style that this country offers and that utilization of personal information helps to make possible.
There are undeniable annoyances; people are inundated by junk mail and incessant phone solicitations.
In some cases there is harm or near approaches to harm (e.g., the individual who gets held in jail overnight because of an error in police or car records or similarity in names).
Occasionally, there are truly serious consequences for individuals. The worst is the unfortunate movie actress who was murdered by a deranged man who obtained her address through the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Go to: 11. Privacy as Social Equity

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