Episode 121, The Philosophy of Privacy (Part I - Privacy is Power)

Introduction

'I was sold a story about the modern world. I was told that I could connect with friends for free and that I could have everything conveniently tailored to my tastes. I was also promised I’d be kept safe from those who wished to attack me and my values. All in all, I was told I would be empowered to live my life as I saw fit.

In time, I began to hear another story. I started to hear that what I had shared with friends was actually a product that social media sold to others. I was told that some of my wants and desires were, in reality, the wants and desires of people whom I had never met. I was made aware that the promise of safety came at a cost which appears never to have been proven worthwhile.

The power, as it turns out, was not really with me – it was with those who sold me the original story. The choices I made when I knew no better helped them understand me and others like me better. They could do this because they were watching. When I wanted them to stop watching, they told me that if I had nothing to hide, then I had nothing to fear.'

Contents

Part I. Privacy is Power

Part II. Privacy in Peril

Part III. Further Analysis and Discussion

Links

Kirstie Ball, Kevin Haggerty, and David Lyon, Routledge Handbook of Surveillance Studies (book).

Danielle Keats Citron, The Fight for Privacy: Protecting Dignity, Identity and Love in the Digital Age (book).

Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones, We Know All About You: The Story of Surveillance in Britain and America (book).

Neil Richards, Why Privacy Matters (book).

Edward Snowden, Permanent Record: A Memoir of a Reluctant Whistleblower (book).

Carissa Véliz, Privacy is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data (book).

Raymond Wacks, Privacy: A Very Short Introduction (book).