The Digital Person: Technology and Privacy in the Information Age [Paperback]

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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"Anyone concerned with preserving privacy against technology's growing intrusiveness will find this book enlightening." - Publishers Weekly "Solove... truly understands the intersection of law and technology. This book is a fascinating journey into the almost surreal ways personal information is hoarded, used, and abused in the digital age." - Wall Street Journal"

Seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day, electronic databases are compiling information about you. As you surf the Internet, an unprecedented amount of your personal information is being recorded and preserved forever in the digital minds of computers. For each individual, these databases create a profile of activities, interests, and preferences used to investigate backgrounds, check credit, market products, and make a wide variety of decisions affecting our lives. The creation and use of these databases - which Daniel J. Solove calls "digital dossiers" - has thus far gone largely unchecked. In this startling account of new technologies for gathering and using personal data, Solove explains why digital dossiers pose a grave threat to our privacy. "The Digital Person" sets forth a new understanding of what privacy is, one that is appropriate for the new challenges of the Information Age. Solove recommends how the law can be reformed to simultaneously protect our privacy and allow us to enjoy the benefits of our increasingly digital world.

Daniel J. Solove is associate professor of law at the George Washington University Law School. He is the co-author of Information Privacy Law.