Privacy

Privacy (UK: /ˈprɪvəsi/, US: /ˈpraɪ-/)) is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. It allows people to control who knows what about them and helps them feel safe in their personal lives.

The idea of privacy has existed for a long time. Most cultures respect the right of individuals to keep parts of their lives private, away from public view. Many countries have laws that protect this right, making sure that governments, companies, or others do not invade someone's privacy without permission.

With the growth of technology, privacy has taken on new meaning. Today, digital privacy—the protection of personal information online—is very important. Many countries have created laws to safeguard people’s digital information from being misused by public or private groups.

Unfortunately, there are ways that privacy can be invaded, sometimes for profit or political reasons. To protect themselves, people can use tools like encryption or anonymity to keep their information safe. Understanding privacy helps everyone stay in control of their personal information and feel more secure in both their offline and online lives.

Etymology

The word privacy comes from a Latin word called "privatus". This word described things that were personal and belonged to oneself, not to the government. It came from an old Latin verb "privere", which means "to be deprived of" something.

History

Philosophical views on privacy

The idea of privacy has been discussed by many thinkers over the years. Ancient Greek philosophers, like Aristotle, talked about the difference between public life and private life at home. Religious texts, such as the Jewish Book of Sirach and the Qur'an, also emphasize the importance of respecting others' privacy.

Later thinkers, like John Locke, helped shape our modern understanding of privacy as a basic right. In more recent times, debates have focused on how unequal privacy protections affect different groups, often harming those who are already vulnerable.

Technology

As new technologies develop, they change how we think about privacy. The invention of the printing press and the Internet, for example, made it easier to share information, which also created new ways for privacy to be invaded.

Books like George Orwell's 1984_, published in 1948, warned about the dangers of too much surveillance and control. More recently, laws have been created to protect people's digital privacy, such as rules about searching phones without permission. These cases show how important it is to protect personal information, especially as technology continues to advance.

Internet

Main article: Internet privacy

See also: Internet § Social impact, Computer network § Security, Security § Computer security, and Information privacy

The Internet lets people connect and communicate faster and on a larger scale than ever before. Because the networks that power the Internet have many new security challenges, talking about privacy online often gets mixed up with security. Companies sometimes focus only on security to meet rules, while trying to reduce how much they need to follow these rules.

The Internet can affect privacy in many ways because of technology and who controls it. For example, the idea of the "right to be forgotten" comes from being able to store and search huge amounts of data, and people sharing online may not expect their information to stay forever. Some privacy groups say we need better technology, like encryption, and stronger laws to protect people online.

Social networking

Many of the most visited websites in the world are social networks. Facebook, for example, had nearly 2.7 billion members in 2015, with users sharing billions of pieces of content every day. Twitter, though smaller, is also widely used.

Research shows that adults often worry more about privacy online than younger users. Some users don’t realize how much their privacy is at risk on these sites. This can be a problem because employers sometimes check social media when hiring, and many people have lost jobs because of what was found online. This has led some people to carefully manage their privacy settings and online reputation.

Privacy and location-based services

Main article: Location-based service

Mobile devices can track where you are, which raises privacy concerns. Your location and preferences are personal information, and sharing them without permission can violate your privacy. Studies show that just a few location points can identify someone uniquely.

There have been cases where companies misused location data. For example, AccuWeather was found selling users' location data even when users opted out. This has led to pressure on big tech companies to improve how they handle user privacy.

Advertising

Main article: Online advertising

Further information: Surveillance capitalism and Mass surveillance industry

The Internet is a big platform for advertising. Some companies track what users do online to show them ads based on their interests. This tracking is sold to other companies, creating a large industry. Many people worry about how much data is being collected and used, especially after big scandals like the one involving Facebook and Cambridge Analytica.

Metadata

Main article: Metadata

Further information: Data re-identification

We can learn a lot about people just by looking at the details of their online activities, like what they search for or what they post. This information can be used to guess things about a person, like their political views or personality. In some countries, laws have been made to control how this data is collected and used.

Legal right to privacy

Main article: Right to privacy

See also: Privacy law, Information privacy law, Right to be forgotten, and § Legal discussions of Internet privacy

Most countries give their citizens rights to privacy in their constitutions. For example, the Constitution of Brazil says that people’s privacy is very important, and the Constitution of South Africa states that everyone has a right to privacy. Many countries have laws outside their constitutions to protect privacy. These laws help make sure that people’s personal information is treated carefully and not misused.

Internationally, there are also agreements to protect privacy. The United Nations says that no one should have their privacy, home, or family interfered with unfairly. The European Union has strong rules called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to protect personal data and give people more control over their information. These rules help keep privacy safe in many places around the world.

Conceptions of privacy

The idea of privacy means that people can keep parts of their lives and information about themselves hidden from others. This helps people express themselves in their own way and feel more in control.

One way people think about privacy is called "contextual integrity." This means that information should flow in ways that match what is normal and expected in different situations. Another old idea, from 1890, is the "right to be let alone." This means people should have the freedom to be by themselves and not be watched or disturbed when they want to be private.

People also value privacy because it lets them participate in society without others collecting too much information about them. Having control over personal information is very important. In today’s world with big data, keeping this control can be challenging.

There are different states of privacy, like being alone, being close to someone, being anonymous in a crowd, or keeping a reserve to not share too much. Privacy is also linked to personal control, where people decide what to share and when. It helps protect our identity and our ability to make choices. Privacy is also important for keeping intimate relationships strong and for protecting our physical space from unwanted attention.

Actions which reduce privacy

There are several ways that privacy can be reduced or challenged. One way is through intrusion, where someone enters another person's private space without permission. Another way is through the public sharing of personal information that could embarrass someone. This can include sharing details about a person's life or private matters.

Companies often collect large amounts of personal data from users, such as browsing history and location information. This data is sometimes used to create detailed profiles that are then shared with advertisers. This practice can invade privacy because people may not fully understand how their information is being used or have a say in it. When information is collected and shared without clear consent, it can lead to unwanted attention or misuse of personal details.

Techniques to improve privacy

There are several ways people can help protect their privacy online. One common method is encryption, which hides information so only the right person can read it. For example, the Signal app uses encryption to keep messages private, and many email services offer ways to encrypt messages too.

Another way to protect privacy is through anonymity. Tools like Tor and Virtual Private Networks hide a user's location and identity online. While these tools offer protection, they don’t hide everything, so users should understand their limits. Simple steps like using private browsing mode can also help by not saving a user's browsing history on their device.

Privacy in non-human animals

David Attenborough, a biologist and natural historian, noted that animals like gorillas value their privacy. When animals are crowded together in spaces like zoos, they face health problems such as heart disease and high blood pressure. This stress can also affect their relationships and how they behave.

Animals in zoos sometimes change their behavior because they know people are watching. For example, cotton-top tamarins are less social, chimpanzees can become more aggressive, and lion-tailed macaques may pace more. Some orangutans also cover their heads less when there are fewer visitors around.