OnlyCritiques.com Review:

Privacy can be defined as the need of every individual (or group) to not disclose every information about it. It can be related to a need for anonymity by many people and for the purposes of security, especially those who are publicly known. However, privacy is a double-edged sword; it can work both in favor of individuals as well against them. There are many types of privacies, and there are both reasons to preserve as well as shun privacy.

Where political preference is concerned, people keep their choice secret so that they cannot be influenced by external pressure, or be discriminated against (hence the use of secret ballot). Politicians are not too vocal about their viewpoints either, because those in opposition can take undue advantage of them, and sometimes even kill them. On the other hand, politicians can also misuse their privacy to indulge in corruption.

The government’s stand on the issue of privacy is just as dubious. The State has to know its people fully, and so it keeps records for census and taxation, gathers information on suspects, and keeps surveillance for security purposes. But this information in the hands of the wrong people can lead to cases like extortion. The freedom to use CCTVs and wiretapping, and the use of identity cards is also a heavily debated issue. Security experts like Bruce Schneier have argued that they in fact reduce security to “security theater.” They have intruded in the lives of the common people in events like the American Civil War in the United States, World War II in the United Kingdom, and more recently the “war on terrorism” post- September 11 declared by the US.

Perhaps one of the most annoying privacy breaches is when companies circulate data of individuals for marketing purposes through telemarketing and e-mail spam. Many times privacy is voluntarily sacrificed, for example, for advertising, which can be misused. There are almost no laws to regulate these violations.

Medical information must be kept confidential to ensure that no discrimination happens on medical grounds. But, it is also illegal to hold back information in certain cases. For example, in the , a Stephen Kelly was convicted for failing to tell his girlfriend that he was HIV+ before having unprotected sex with her. In another instance, if homosexuals keep their same sex orientation a secret, they become unfaithful to themselves and to their partners. And if they choose to be open, they can fall victim to stigma and social unacceptability.

Privacy needs to be maintained because, first, it is the right of every person. One should not only respect her own privacy but should also the right of others to keep their affairs private. Too much privacy can discourage the exchange of information between people, and can lead to mistrust and intolerance. It can also aid antisocial elements like criminals in keeping their activities hidden. Knowledge about someone can lead to holding power over that person, both lawfully and unlawfully. Nevertheless, knowledge also helps in understanding the other person better.

There are constant debates over whether privacy is good or not, and this ambiguity is never resolved.

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