Unpopular Privacy What Must We Hide [Hardcover]

Can the government stick us with privacy we don't want? It can, it does, and according to Anita L. Allen, it may need to do more of it. Privacy is a foundational good, Allen argues, a necessary tool in the liberty-lover's kit for a successful life. A nation committed to personal freedom must be prepared to mandate privacy protections for its people, whether they eagerly embrace them or not. This unique book draws attention to privacies of seclusion, concealment, confidentiality and data-protection undervalued by their intended beneficiaries and targets--and outlines the best reasons for imposing them. Allen looks at laws designed to keep website operators from collecting personal information, laws that force strippers to wear thongs, and the myriad employee and professional confidentiality rules--including insider trading laws--that require strict silence about matters whose disclosure could earn us small fortunes. She shows that such laws recognize the extraordinary importance of dignity, trust and reputation, helping to preserve social, economic and political options throughout a lifetime.

This is a wonderful book, written by a prolific legal scholar and staunch privacy advocate who adds a provocative and unique perspective to the theoretical work on privacy. Allen writes with legal expertise but she is also well grounded in the philosophical literature, giving one of the most complete and detailed summaries of past defenses of privacy and its value. --Judith Wager DeCew,Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

[Allen] writes in easy to follow language; the book has limited references to legal terms of art, all of which are fully explained for the non-legal reader. The discussions regarding the noncomprehensiveness of US laws, in comparison to those of EU and Canada, allow the reader to delve further into the philosophical issues. The book is written for nonspecialists; the breadth of coverage provides readers with further avenues of researchlS&