Personal privacy and security are foundational principles of our society. Yet how much actual privacy do we have? And how secure is the information we believe to be private? The integration of the computer into almost every corner of our lives has greatly affected our personal privacy and security. Databases across the country collect little pieces of data about us every time we use our credit cards, make a telephone call, and send or receive e-mail. In addition, health care records, insurance records, Social Security records, and so forth are all kept in computer files. This computer technology makes records and data easier to compile, combine, and circulate. Therefore, it is important to consider the effects of computerization on individual privacy, corporate security, and legislation.

Individual Privacy

Jeffrey Rothfeder's 1992 book, Privacy for Sale, illuminates the ways in which computers have changed our lives. Today...