Privacy
Overview
Privacy is a fundamental human right recognized in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and in many other international and regional treaties. Privacy underpins human dignity and other key values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech. It has become one of the most important human rights issues of the modern age.
Definition
Privacy can be defined as the selective control of access to one's personal information or activities. This involves the right to keep personal matters and information private, and to control the flow of information about oneself. Privacy is often associated with anonymity, though they are not necessarily the same.
Types of Privacy
There are various types of privacy that are recognized in legal jurisdictions and that are the focus of international human rights instruments. These include:
Bodily Privacy
Bodily privacy is concerned with the integrity of one's physical body against invasive procedures such as genetic tests, drug testing and cavity searches.
Privacy of Communications
Privacy of communications protects the confidentiality of private communications, including telephone conversations, emails, and other forms of communication.
Informational Privacy
Informational privacy is the aspect of privacy concerned with processing personal data. It is often associated with issues surrounding the use of personal information by governments, corporations, and individuals.
Territorial Privacy
Territorial privacy is related to intrusion into one's private space, home or property. It is concerned with preventing unauthorized access to a person's private realm.
Privacy Law
Privacy law is a branch of law that deals with the regulation and protection of personal information about individuals that can be collected by governments and other public as well as private organizations and its storage and use.
Privacy and Technology
The advent of digital technology and internet has created new challenges for privacy. The proliferation of personal data on the internet, the rise of social media, and the use of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence have all raised significant privacy concerns.
Privacy and Society
Privacy has a profound impact on society and individual freedoms. It is a crucial element in the functioning of democratic societies as it underpins human dignity and other values such as freedom of association and freedom of speech.