Has Technology Rendered Personal Privacy Virtually Obsolete?
Sandra Byrd Petersen(1) The chilling effect of [the] loss of privacy is an undesirable incentive to conform to societal norms rather than assert one’s individuality. Ultimately, what is lost is not only the private emotional releases we all need but, most importantly, the creativity that leads to human achievement. Privacy makes possible individuality, and thus, freedom. It allows us to cope with the larger world, knowing there is a place where we can be by ourselves, doing as we please without recrimination. Robert S. Peck(1) Introduction As society becomes increasingly automated, individual privacy is threatened in ways unimaginable only a few years ago. The pervasive use of computers has enhanced society’s ability to collect, store, retrieve, process, and disseminate data on individuals, quite often without the individual’s knowledge or consent. Privacy laws in the United States have not kept pace with the technological developments of the past twenty years. In fact, virtually nothi
