Understanding Privacy
by Daniel J. Solove
(Author)
Privacy is one of the most
important concepts of our time, yet it is also one of the most elusive. As rapidly
changing technology makes information increasingly available, scholars,
activists, and policymakers have struggled to define privacy, with many
conceding that the task is virtually impossible.
In this concise and lucid
book, Daniel J. Solove offers a comprehensive overview of the difficulties
involved in discussions of privacy and ultimately provides a provocative
resolution. He argues that no single definition can be workable, but rather
that there are multiple forms of privacy, related to one another by family
resemblances. His theory bridges cultural differences and addresses historical
changes in views on privacy. Drawing on a broad array of interdisciplinary
sources, Solove sets forth a framework for understanding privacy that provides
clear, practical guidance for engaging with relevant issues.
Understanding Privacy will
be an essential introduction to long-standing debates and an invaluable
resource for crafting laws and policies about surveillance, data mining,
identity theft, state involvement in reproductive and marital decisions, and
other pressing contemporary matters concerning privacy.
