Privacy

"Privacy is the interest that individuals have in sustaining a 'personal space', free from interference by other people and organisations (Clarke, 1999)." Privacy has several dimensions.

• "privacy of the person, sometimes referred to as 'bodily privacy' This is concerned with the integrity of the individual's body. Issues include compulsory immunisation, blood transfusion without consent, compulsory provision of samples of body fluids and body tissue, and compulsory sterilisation;
• privacy of personal behaviour. This relates to all aspects of behaviour, but especially to sensitive matters, such as sexual preferences and habits, political activities and religious practices, both in private and in public places. It includes what is sometimes referred to as 'media privacy';
• privacy of personal communications. Individuals claim an interest in being able to communicate among themselves, using various media, without routine monitoring of their communications by other persons or organisations. This includes what is sometimes referred to as 'interception privacy'; and
• privacy of personal data. Individuals claim that data about themselves should not be automatically available to other individuals and organisations, and that, even where data is possessed by another party, the individual must be able to exercise a substantial degree of control over that data and its use. This is sometimes referred to as 'data privacy' and 'information privacy' (Clarke, 1999)."

Information privacy is concerned primarily with the last two dimensions.

Reference: Clarke, Roger. (1999). Introduction to dataveillance and information privacy, and definition of terms. Accessed February 14, 2002 at http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/DV/Intro.html#Intro

© Copyright 2002 Raymond S. Kulzick. All rights reserved. 020214.

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