Even the scary-sounding “smart roads” and “smart cards” may become things we cannot do without … Having these services and conveniences means that there will, as always, be a tradeoff… We will have all of the conveniences offered by computers, but we can never again expect that our personal papers and communications can simply be locked away from prying eyes and ears.
Predictor: Alderman, Ellen
Prediction, in context:In their 1995 book “The Right to Privacy,” Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy write: ”An animating principle of cyberspace is the free flow of information. It is the ultimate democracy, where principles of open records and unfettered speech prevail. As a practical matter, the digital world is extremely difficult to police. In addition, courts are only beginning to consider how First Amendment freedoms will apply. Thus, while the digital society is coming of age, laws designed to deal with it are still in their infancy. As in the other areas of privacy law, the answer will come at least in part by balancing the competing interests at stake. With all of the Big Brother imagery, it is important to remember that these invasive devices also provide a service, one we often very much want. Many of us appreciate the convenience of credit cards, automatic teller machines, catalogue shopping, and cellular phones. Even the scary-sounding ‘smart roads’ and ‘smart cards’ may become things we cannot do without … Having these services and conveniences means that there will, as always, be a tradeoff… We will have all of the conveniences offered by computers, but we can never again expect that our personal papers and communications can simply be locked away from prying eyes and ears.”
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:
Pages 331, 332
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney