Final Paper PHIL 130G:
Privacy & the notorious “nothing to hide” argument
INSTRUCTIONS:
NEW: Show annotated Solove article by April 19th
Paper 1st version due: April 26th (buffer until 28th) Late papers will get a grade deduction per day. For extension ask before April 19th.
Length: 4-6 pages + Self-assessment sheet
Grading & revision: There will be an opportunity for revision but both first & second draft will count towards final grade. Paper revision due: May 10th-15th
Suggested Outline: Privacy and the notorious “nothing to hide” argument
Present and explain what the ‘nothing to hide ‘ argument is and how it works in discussions of privacy according to Solove.
Use an example of how you have heard the argument used – or use one of Solove’s.
Make sure to analyze and differentiate multiple versions – and set up the narrower formulation Solove thinks is the strongest.
Analyze multiple assumptions implicit in this style of argument – specifically include assumptions about what privacy is and why we would need it.
What does the argument assume? (include references to multiple forms introduced above)
Discuss these assumptions. Are we generally justified in making these assumptions about the relevant risks of transparency and surveillance, the function of privacy, gov. business etc? Which are problematic or hard to defend?
How do the assumptions of the NTH argument contrast with the Bill of rights?
Absorb, extrapolate and discuss: If privacy is not only about hiding crimes, then what might privacy be about? Discuss whether, and if so in which sense, we need some level of privacy to be individually free, autonomous & mentally healthy agents, and to have a democratic society.
Refer to class sources such as Klopfer & Rubenstein, Bentham, Zuboff, 1984, Black Mirror, Goffman etc.
Refer to current world practices and issues, some potential examples:
AI driven ranking systems – gov. and private
Gov. trust & due process: Innocent until proven guilty vs. guilty until proven innocent. Chilling of 1st amen. rights and gov. critique
Biometric & movement analysis tech: E.g. micro-expressions & mouse patterns.
Surveillance of intimate partners: Coercion, domestic violence, revenge porn.
Financial coercions: E.g. scams of elderly people, prison populations etc.
