Privacy

Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to seclude themselves or information about themselves, and thereby express themselves selectively. The boundaries and content of what is considered private differ among cultures and individuals, but share common themes. When something is private to a person, it usually means that something is inherently special or sensitive to them. The domain of privacy partially overlaps with security, which can include the concepts of appropriate use, as well as protection of information. Privacy may also take the form of bodily integrity.

Overview

The right not to be subjected to unsanctioned invasions 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. An example of this would be law concerning taxation, which normally require the sharing of information about personal income or earnings. In some countries individual privacy may conflict with freedom of speech laws and some laws may require public disclosure of information which would be considered private in other countries and cultures.

Privacy may be understood in two dimensions: physical and informational. Physical privacy could be defined as preventing "intrusions into one's physical space or solitude". Informational privacy could be defined as "the establishment of rules governing the collection and handling of personal data such as credit information, and medical and government records". It is also worth noting that the concepts of privacy and secrecy are sometimes confused and can result in a loss of privacy.

Privacy law

Privacy law is a branch of law that deals with the regulation of personal information about individuals which can be collected by governments and other public as well as private organizations and its storage and use. Privacy laws are considered within the context of an individual's privacy rights or reasonable expectation of privacy.

See also

• Information privacy
• Internet privacy
• Privacy engineering
• Privacy in English law
• Privacy laws of the United States
• Privacy Realist School
• Right to privacy

References

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