The Right to Privacy Author:Ellen Alderman, Caroline Kennedy In what is certain to be one of the most talked-about books of the year, Alderman and Kennedy examine one of our basic -- and most contested -- legal and constitutional rights: the right to privacy. Through a seamless interweaving of landmark cases, lesser-known trial decisions, and dozens of anecdotal narratives, the authors make an urgent, com... more »plicated issue more absorbing and accessible than ever before.
Although the word "privacy" does not appear in the United States Constitution, most Americans believe that their right to privacy is not just legally protected but fundamental to their lives, their way of living, and this country's democratic system. Abstract and difficult to define, privacy is nevertheless perceived as one of our most basic and coveted rights. But is it? How well are we protected? And what, exactly, are we protected from?
In the hands of Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy, we can finally see the law translated into relevant human experience. The Right to Privacy delves into six general areas: Privacy versus Law Enforcement, Privacy and Your Self, Privacy versus The Press, Privacy versus The Voyeur, Privacy in the Workplace, and Privacy and Information.
Can you refuse to comply when a police officer asks to look through your luggage? Is there anything you can do to prevent all those computerized data banks from filling up with more and more personal information about you? Can television cameras follow a breaking news story right into your home? Does your boss have a right to know that you are a homosexual? a smoker? dating a co-worker? Who is entitled to make life-or-death decisions for someone who is no longer able to do so? Legally, the answer to each of these questions revolves around the right to privacy.
We live in a society where the right to privacy is much discussed, misunderstood, and, in many cases, seriously threatened. The Right to Privacy will enrich the discussion, shed light on many of the misunderstandings, and illuminate the real-life, everyday impact of one of the most important issues of our time.« less