Expectations of Privacy
Do you have an "expectation of privacy"? The term doesn't just refer to your attitude about your personal information, however. In the legal realm, it's a constitutional test that determines the circumstances under which the government can invade personal privacy.
Bruce Schneier raises the issue of privacy and the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. In light of evolving technologies and social norms that encourage the disclosure of personal information, he questions our expectation of privacy in the digital realm. Is it reasonable to expect that our emails be private? Our phone calls? Our web browsing?
In libraries, privacy ranks highly as a professional value, expectation, and commitment. In fact, the American Library Association "affirms that rights of privacy are necessary for intellectual freedom and are fundamental to the ethics and practice of librarianship."
Schneier links to three legal scholars for different perspectives on the issue. Perhaps the most important point in the article, however, is his emphasis on "stating the - obvious to me - individual and societal value of privacy, and giving privacy its rightful place as a fundamental human right." It's this value as a fundamental human right that makes privacy such a pressing issue today - for libraries and beyond.
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You Say You Want a Revolution
"Well, you know, we all want to change the world..."
The Beatles may not have had privacy in mind when they sang about a revolution, but it's an issue that's on the minds of people all over the world today. More and more of us see that privacy has grown into one of the most pressing issues of our time, but can we say we want a revolution? Do we all want to change the world? And, most importantly, are we ready to stand up and make it happen?
We believe that all of those questions can be answered with a resounding YES, and we're here to help you change the world.
Who is this "we," anyway? We're the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom. We're working with libraries across the country to start a national conversation on privacy - an open dialogue, a chance to learn about the issues, and an opportunity to take action. So take a look around. Let us know what you think. We'll be adding more content and more resources all the time, so check back for the latest information.
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