E-mail is not the U.S. Mail; a cellular phone is not a traditional phone; and our financial, medical and other records are no longer stored in filing cabinets. If we want to secure our communications and personal profiles, we will have to become more vigilant. Even so, there will still be some intrusions beyond the control of contract, legislation or technology. Then we will have to alter our expectations. This connection of education and altered expectations may hold the key to privacy protection in the future.
Predictor: Alderman, Ellen
Prediction, in context:In their 1995 book “The Right to Privacy,” Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy write: ”We are already learning to bargain for privacy – every time we read the fine print on products we buy or services we request. The cellular phone company tells us that a call may not be secure and the cable company sends us a notice detailing its privacy protections. We can sign up or not. Normally, we do not consider privacy protections in making such decisions, but we will have to begin to do so in the brave new digital world. E-mail is not the U.S. Mail; a cellular phone is not a traditional phone; and our financial, medical and other records are no longer stored in filing cabinets. If we want to secure our communications and personal profiles, we will have to become more vigilant. Even so, there will still be some intrusions beyond the control of contract, legislation or technology. Then we will have to alter our expectations. This connection of education and altered expectations may hold the key to privacy protection in the future.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1995
Topic of prediction: Controversial Issues
Subtopic: Privacy/Surveillance
Name of publication: The Right to Privacy
Title, headline, chapter name: Privacy and Information
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 332
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney