Browse Privacy Articles

Privacy and Technology: Is Technology Doing Away with Our Privacy?

Since the advent of the smart phone, more and more people have come to rely on the many services it can provide. But with the recent revelation that unencrypted data can expose to almost anyone where you are and where you’ve been, at what point do privacy concerns trump convenience? more...

Renee M. Hykel, Esq. - Jul 2011 - Technology
Google Street View Privacy Issues Raised Again

If you haven’t already tried it, Google Street View is a great way to see a street-level panoramic view of a neighborhood—just about anywhere in the world. Just about anywhere, because Google has been hitting some snags along the way, mostly about privacy. more...

Heleigh Bostwick - Jul 2011 - Privacy
Google Street View Not Spy Cam, Court Rules

An appellate court has given Google Street View the green light to to post images of private homes online. The case arose from a complaint by Aaron and Christine Boring, who claimed a violation of their privacy after images of their home and pool appeared on the Internet. The photos were taken, the Borings said, by a Google driver who entered their private driveway to take pictures. more...

Michelle Fabio, Esq. - Mar 2010 - Privacy
Can you stop home sex videos from getting distributed?

Paris Hilton made headlines when a steamy sex video of her and former boyfriend Rick Salomon made the rounds of the digital community. Can the subjects of these scandalous home videos stop their release? The answer is the same as that to any legal question - it depends. more...

Amanda Howe - Sep 2008 - Copyrights
When can the police search the trunk of a car?

The fourth amendment, as it is generally understood, protects you from unreasonable search and seizure. But, what happens if you get pulled over by a police officer when driving and he asks that you pop the trunk. Does he have the right to ask you to do this? Do you have the right to say no? Well, the answer is: it depends.Read more to find out when the police can search the trunk of your car. more...

Monica Sanders - Oct 2007 - Privacy
Supreme Court Alters Knock and Announce Rule

The Supreme Court has just ruled that police do not have to knock to gain access to homes if they have a search warrant. Furthermore, evidence discovered in the course of this search can be used in court. So, what does this mean for the privacy of the average American citizen? more...

Beverly Rice - Oct 2007 - Privacy
Can a journalist be forced to reveal confidential sources?

Can a journalist be forced to reveal confidential sources? The answer appears to be no...as long as that journalist is willing to go to jail. more...

Leanne Phillips - Oct 2007 - Privacy
Smile! You're on my Cell Phone: Camera Phones and Privacy

People are having their photos snapped without their knowledge or permission. The problem: many of the photos are strategically aimed "up the skirt" or "down the shirt." The Video Voyeurism Prevention Act was just passed in Congress to prevent these invasions of privacy. What does this mean? It means you have some rights. more...

Deborah Ng - Oct 2007 - Privacy
What does HIPAA mean for your privacy?

You may have seen news stories in which a camera pans over a dumpster overflowing with unshredded medical charts. News anchors follow-up and interview patients, bringing them the very file discovered amid the trash. Hearing such horror stories is grounds for worry about the safety of your own health information. Here's how HIPAA can and does protect you. more...

Ellen Feig - Oct 2007 - Equal Rights
The 4th Amendment: Is privacy ever assured?

It appears the long arm of the law may be getting quite a bit longer, as courts all the way to D.C. are granting police more power to invade people's privacy. For years now, federal courts have been nibbling away at Fourth Amendment protections, allowing more and more police to intrude into historically protected places. The latest - an 8th Circuit decision - even permits poking into public restrooms. more...

Denise Callahan - Oct 2007 - Privacy