"I've Got Nothing to Hide" and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy

Authors

Daniel J. Solove

Library of Congress Authority File

http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79122466

Document Type

Symposium Article

Abstract

In this short Article, written for a symposium in the San Diego Law Review, Professor Daniel Solove examines the nothing to hide argument. When asked about government surveillance and data mining, many people respond by declaring: "I've got nothing to hide." According to the nothing to hide argument, there is no threat to privacy unless the government uncovers unlawful activity, in which case a person has no legitimate justification to claim that it remain private. The nothing to hide argument and its variants are quite prevalent, and thus are worth addressing. In this essay, Solove critiques the nothing to hide argument and exposes its faulty underpinnings.

Recommended Citation

Daniel J. Solove, "I've Got Nothing to Hide" and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy, 44 San Diego L. Rev. 745 (2007).
Available at: https://digital.sandiego.edu/sdlr/vol44/iss4/5