Scientific American

Introduction to SciAm's issue on Privacy. Our jittery state since 9/11, coupled with the Internet revolution, is shifting the boundaries between public interest and "the right to be let alone"

As telephone conversations have moved to the Internet, so have those who want to listen in. But the technology needed to do so would entail a dangerous expansion of the government's surveillance powers

Many issues posing as questions of privacy can turn out to be matters of security, health policy, insurance or self-presentation. It is useful to clarify those issues before focusing on privacy itself

A privacy activist argues that the devices pose new security risks to those who carry them, often unwittingly

A versatile assortment of computational techniques can protect the privacy of your information and online activities to essentially any degree and nuance you desire

In spite of recent legislation, tougher laws are needed to prevent insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic tests

Tiny radio-frequency identification tags, long used for tracking supplies and inventory, are now appearing in a growing range of consumer items. A privacy activist argues that the devices pose new security risks to those who carry them, often unwittingly

Young people share the most intimate details of personal life on social-networking Web sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, portending a realignment of the public and the private

In spite of recent legislation, tougher laws are needed to prevent insurers and employers from discriminating on the basis of genetic tests

Many issues posing as questions of privacy can turn out to be matters of security, health policy, insurance or self-presentation. It is useful to clarify those issues before focusing on privacy itself

As telephone conversations have moved to the Internet, so have those who want to listen in. But the technology needed to do so would entail a dangerous expansion of the governments surveillance powers

Mashing everyone's personal data, from credit card bills to cell phone logs, into one all-encompassing digital dossier is the stuff of an Orwellian nightmare. But it is not as easy as most people assume

Night-vision cameras, biometric sensors and other gadgets already give snoops access to private spaces. Coming soon: palm-size "bug-bots"

Security systems based on anatomical and behavioral characteristics may offer the best defense against identity theft

A versatile assortment of computational techniques can protect the privacy of your information and online activities to essentially any degree and nuance you desire

Experts from Sun, Adobe, Microsoft and MacAfee discuss how to protect against more numerous and sophisticated attacks by hackers; security professionals call for upgraded technology, along with more attention to human and legal factors

Young people share the most intimate details of personal life on social-networking Web sites, portending a realignment of the public and the private

Mashing everyones personal data, from credit-card bills to cell phone logs, into one all-encompassing digital dossier is the stuff of Orwellian nightmares. But it is not as easy as most people assume