Privacy Right of Freedom of Information Research Paper

Privacy Right of Freedom of Information - Research Paper Example It goes without saying that the idea of a free and hassle free exchange of information does have its benefits and advantages. Yet, again, the notion of regarding the privacy of the individuals, groups and organizations to be protected and sanctimonious also sounds to be a valid and just proposal. Isn’t it considered to be a common ethical behavior on the part of doctors to maintain the confidentiality of the health records of their patients at all costs? A commonsensical approach towards life amply corroborates the fact that nobody in the right mind would ever like to put up with a society, where the details pertaining to one’s personal, professional and social life are unscrupulously open to public scrutiny and access. As is often said, the extreme of anything is bad. So it is human to expect the state and fellow citizens and the organizations managed by them to respect one’s personal life and privacy. However, an optimal level of efficiency and transparency in the society necessitates a level of free exchange of information and facts. ... nsidered to be a fundamental and innate need of humanity that is to a great extent is essential and a must for individual and social growth in an environment governed by a measure of dignity (Inness 3). However, this very concept of privacy could also be interpreted in a relativistic context, subject to individual preferences and views and the nature of the situations that breach privacy (Francis 91). In a psychological context, a sense of privacy is a necessary safety valve against any fear of losing control or context (Etzioni 187). Thus, it goes without saying that grappling with, limiting and defining the concept of privacy is utterly unwieldy and difficult, as the idea of privacy is subject to multiple dimensions and facets. In a simplistic attempt, privacy may be considered to be the right of the individuals, groups and institutions to control and determine as to what information about them is communicated to others, how and in what manner it is communicated and when and at wha t time it is communicated (Scoglio 24). In an individualistic context, privacy may be taken as the prerogative of an individual to determine as to what happens to the personal information associated with one (Scoglio 24). May sound surprising, but the concept of privacy could also be interpreted in the context of individual and collective freedom. In that context privacy could be taken to be a control over one’s interactions with the society that maximizes freedom and autonomy and minimizes vulnerability and possible threats to individual or group integrity. In other words (Boling 85). Privacy is an attempt on the part of individuals, groups and organizations to mark their respective boundaries (Boling 85). It goes without saying that the contemporary age of information has added many new