|
Common Law Protection of Privacy
As noted earlier, the Anglo-American case law tradition, as recognized in most states, 1 offers some protection for privacy of personal information. It is illegal to reveal private facts about someone if the average person would find it objectionable to have that information made public, provided that the subject of the information is not a public figure and there is no legitimate public interest in making the information known. It is also an offense to place a person in a false light. It is not necessary that the false information ruin the person's reputation; only that it be objectionable. Appropriation of someone's name, image, or some other aspect of the person's identity is another offense. Finally intrusions, such as intercepting private communications, are also illegal, unless there is a legitimate reason for doing so or the parties to the communication have given consent. In any of these cases the victim can sue the perpetrator and recover damages. |
|