When you share information with a company, what say should you have over its use? A privacy right is more than a wish to be left alone: it is an entitlement to protection against unjustified interference. The 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights names privacy, family, home, and correspondence as areas protected against arbitrary interference. section 5.2.3
The need for privacy is longstanding; recognition of a right to it developed much later. An influential 1890 US argument described privacy as the right to be let alone, responding in part to photography and sensational journalism. Today, personal information creates another setting in which that right matters. Privacy is not the same as data ownership, although rules about who controls data shape what privacy can mean in practice. section 5.2.3 section 5.0
Privacy is also not simply secrecy. Privacy describes a boundary others should respect; people denied that boundary may resort to secrecy to protect themselves. Surveillance by a government or organization can make people anxious and change how they behave. The right therefore matters to safety and well-being, not only to control over information. section 5.5
One practical choice is to read a company's privacy statement before deciding whether it should collect, store, or use your data. Look for a clear account of its commitments and consider whether you trust them. A posted policy alone does not settle whether your privacy is protected, but understanding it helps you make an informed choice. section 5.8 section 5.14
