Sunday, April 29, 2012

Internet Privacy

Does anyone out there have any expectation of privacy on the Internet? The whole idea seems foolish, of course we don't. In law school we studied a case about privacy where the cops searched someone's garbage, at the curb, and found evidence of a crime that was then used to prosecute him. The question on appeal was: is there an expectation of privacy for trash that has been deposited in a can and brought to the curb for pickup? The answer was: no. Applying this logic, of course they can closely examine our Internet lives. Me, I think the question should not be posed as "do we have an expectation of privacy," but rather, "SHOULD we have an expectation of privacy." Just my opinion. Before the can was brought to the curb the answer was not so clear, but at the curb the court felt that the guy had relinquished control and given up his rights to the trash. So the search and subsequent use of the evidence was constitutionally permitted. Maybe our Interneting habits are more like the can at the side of the house, or maybe, probably, it's something different all together. We'll see. Long paragraphs are boring and hard to read. I hope that I can figure this whole paragraph thing out soon.

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