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Privacy, The State Of Being Away From Public Attention

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Throughout time, privacy and security have been two heavily debated topics. There has always been a struggle to find middle ground between a private environment and a secure environment, but the dawn of technology and the Internet has made this struggle even more difficult. The Internet has drastically decreased the expectation of privacy of any and all individuals that have ever used it. Technology in general can pose a threat to an individual’s physical and virtual security. The Internet has also brought forth a sense of anonymity to those looking to conceal their true identities, some of which plan to commit horrific crimes. Privacy and security go hand in hand, however security is by far the most important. What is privacy? Can anyone truly have privacy in this day and age? According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, privacy is “the state of being away from public attention” (Merriam-Webster). Privacy is very valuable, and sometimes underappreciated aspect of life. Here in the United States, there are many laws that are meant to help protect the privacy of a person. One of these laws put in place is the Privacy Act of 1975, which establishes “a code of fair information practices.” This act regulates the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of a person’s information by federal executive branch agencies. (Scott). There are even laws that protect particular private information, one of the most well-known is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act

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