The Ethics of Privacy and Surveillance
Carissa Véliz
Abstract
Abstract Human beings need privacy just as much as they need community. Our need for socialization brings with it risks and burdens which in turn give rise to the need for spaces and time away from others. Privacy matters because it shields us from abuses of power. It is the blindfold of justice that ensures impartiality; it fosters autonomy, equality, and freedom. This book is intended to contribute to a better understanding of privacy from a philosophical point of view—what it is, what is at stake in its loss, and how it relates to other rights and values. It covers the genealogy and definition of privacy, the epistemology of privacy, the relationship between privacy and the public sphere, the balance between privacy and surveillance, a comprehensive theory of privacy and the right to privacy, and some reflections about privacy in the twenty-first century. The five parts that compose this book respond to five basic questions about privacy: Where does privacy come from? What is privacy? Why does privacy matter? What should we do about privacy? Where are we now?