Privacy and Computing: a Cultural Perspective

Rapid technological progress is making surveillance possible on a much larger scale than before, thereby accentuating the issue of privacy. Several writers have criticized various computer-assisted surveillance techniques because they function incorrectly or because they can be dangerous in the hands of a totalitarian regime. This paper, however, has as a starting point the vision that privacy is seriously endangered even in a democratic society, regardless of whether the surveillance systems should function correctly or not. First, it is shown that privacy is a cultural construct, rather than a genuine human need. The cultural relativity of privacy is illustrated with reference to ethnographic data on non-European cultures. The social utility of privacy is also analyzed, pointing out the possible effects of reducing the level of privacy in our society. Second, we describe the current development in Western culture with regards to privacy - what we regard as a continuing process of privacy erosion. Special attention is given to the mechanisms in modern democracy which promote increasing surveillance. The discussion of these mechanisms is focused on the situation in Norway, but most of the discussion is relevant to all Western-style democracies. The conclusion is that if we want to maintain a high level of privacy in our society, the erosion process must be given more attention. Unless some significant measures are taken, privacy as we know it might disappear, even in a fully democratic context. A major point is that privacy maintenance is beyond simple technological or political solutions and can be addressed only through increased awareness of the cultural aspects involved. Furthermore, due to the impact of the cultural factor, the prospect of universal solutions is very limited.