The Digital Person

December 1, 2004
When one surveys the myriad ways that personal information can be snatched from individuals through electronic means, it's easy to feel gloomy about the prospects for privacy in the Information Age--which is why this book is so refreshing. Although it sometimes reads like a legal brief--author Solove (Information Privacy Law) is an associate law professor at George Washington University Law School--it offers insights into the current state of privacy in America and some intriguing prescriptions for altering that state of affairs. Contrary to popular notions that "Big Brother" is destroying privacy, Solove argues that the withering of privacy can, in large measure, be attributed to indifference. "The privacy problem created by the use of databases stems from an often careless and unconcerned bureaucratic process," he writes, "one that has little judgment or accountability.... We are not just heading toward a world of Big Brother, but to a world that is beginning to resemble Kafka's vision in The Trial." Solove contends that existing methods for protecting privacy fail to fulfill their purpose because they depend on individuals remedying situations that they don't even know exist. Solove's call for systematic change is compelling, as are his ideas for revamping society's information-gathering architecture. "Changing our relationships with bureaucracies can't be achieved through isolated lawsuits," he argues. "We need a regulatory system, akin to the ones we have in place regulating our food, environment, and financial institutions." Anyone concerned with preserving privacy against technology's growing intrusiveness will find this book enlightening.

December 13, 2004
When one surveys the myriad ways that personal information can be snatched from individuals through electronic means, it's easy to feel gloomy about the prospects for privacy in the Information Age--which is why this book is so refreshing. Although it sometimes reads like a legal brief--author Solove (Information Privacy Law) is an associate law professor at George Washington University Law School--it offers insights into the current state of privacy in America and some intriguing prescriptions for altering that state of affairs. Contrary to popular notions that "Big Brother" is destroying privacy, Solove argues that the withering of privacy can, in large measure, be attributed to indifference. "The privacy problem created by the use of databases stems from an often careless and unconcerned bureaucratic process," he writes, "one that has little judgment or accountability.... We are not just heading toward a world of Big Brother, but to a world that is beginning to resemble Kafka's vision in The Trial." Solove contends that existing methods for protecting privacy fail to fulfill their purpose because they depend on individuals remedying situations that they don't even know exist. Solove's call for systematic change is compelling, as are his ideas for revamping society's information-gathering architecture. "Changing our relationships with bureaucracies can't be achieved through isolated lawsuits," he argues. "We need a regulatory system, akin to the ones we have in place regulating our food, environment, and financial institutions." Anyone concerned with preserving privacy against technology's growing intrusiveness will find this book enlightening.

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