“It’s not about anonymity. It’s about having a say in how others treat potentially sensitive, even confidential information about our lives, our families, our health, our credit–everything.”
– Comment on NPR blog
This will be hard to swallow.
Contention: the need for privacy exists only to the extent your private details can be used to harm you.
Money, career, reputation, marriage, personal security, freedom. Private information in the wrong hands, or improperly safeguarded can impact these areas of your life and thereby cause harm. What if such information when released harmed only the person releasing it?
Privacy is needed when revealed confidences have economic impacts. In debt-based, money-controlled, government regulated economies where everything comes at a price, privacy is crucial. Any of these areas: money, career, reputation, marriage, personal security, freedom can be impacted if your private information is exposed because all these areas can impact your ability to earn a living.
Nevermind that many things you think must be kept private from others are actually situations or experiences or conditions others have had or are going though, even as you read this.
A society could exist where living out loud is accepted and expected. Tolerance: the minimum standard. You are part of the beautiful tapestry called humanity. Foibles included. In this society people don’t care. Unauthorized access to personal information costs more than its worth. Why bother exposing them? Besides, there are a lot better things people are spending their life doing. Far better things than than trying to ruin yours.