Right To Privacy Definition and Legal Meaning

On this page, you'll find the legal definition and meaning of Right To Privacy, written in plain English, along with examples of how it is used.

What is Right To Privacy?

(n) The right of a person, to do his personnel activities in which public interest is not effected as a private activity without exposing it to the public. So a birthday celebration can be a privacy event involving the right of privacy where as marriage registration is not a right of privacy as many statues require publishing of such marriage.

History and Meaning of Right To Privacy

The right to privacy refers to a person's ability to keep their personal life and activities away from the public eye. This legal concept has its roots in the United States and dates back to the late 1800s. In 1890, Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis published an article in the Harvard Law Review titled "The Right to Privacy" which argued that individuals have a right to be left alone and to control the use of their personal information. This article helped establish the right to privacy as a legal concept.

Over time, the right to privacy has been expanded and applied to a variety of contexts, including medical privacy, informational privacy, and privacy in the home. In the United States, this right is protected by the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures, and by various federal and state laws.

Examples of Right To Privacy

  1. A person has the right to keep their medical information confidential from their employer.
  2. A married couple has the right to engage in intimate activities without fear of surveillance or intrusion.
  3. A person has the right to prevent the unauthorized use of their photograph for commercial purposes.
  4. A company is prohibited from collecting personal data from consumers without their consent.
  5. A person has the right to control who has access to their private email and social media accounts.

Legal Terms Similar to Right To Privacy

  1. Data Protection - The practice of safeguarding personal information from unauthorized access or use.
  2. Confidentiality - The obligation to protect sensitive information from disclosure.
  3. Freedom from Unreasonable Searches and Seizures - The right to be free from invasive government surveillance or confiscation of property without a warrant.
  4. Intrusion upon Seclusion - A legal claim that can be brought by an individual who has had their privacy invaded by a third party.
  5. Informational Privacy - The right to control the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information.