Seek and Hide

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This narrative explores the complex evolution of the right to privacy in America and its ongoing conflict with the public's right to know. The current climate is charged with concerns over tech companies like Facebook exploiting personal data and devices like Alexa potentially invading our privacy. Legal expert Amy Gajda reveals that privacy is simultaneously under threat and experiencing a resurgence, creating a precarious situation. Insufficient privacy can lead to unwanted exposure, while excessive secrecy allows the powerful to evade scrutiny, undermining movements that have unveiled hidden truths. The book traces the concept of privacy from its introduction in the Gilded Age to contemporary issues where figures like Peter Thiel can dismantle media outlets out of spite. Historically, the focus was less on protecting ordinary citizens and more on shielding the elite from public scrutiny. Alexander Hamilton's perspectives on privacy varied based on context, while Louis Brandeis's 1890 essay laid the groundwork for modern privacy rights. The 1960s saw privacy interests overshadowed by investigative journalism, but by the 1990s, the digital age began to threaten privacy with the rise of the Internet. Today, we face a pivotal moment where privacy is perceived as being under siege from relentless technology and a click-driven economy. This book serves as a reminder of the lessons of history, highlighting how calls for privacy ca