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New Technologies Challenge Privacy

Burlington, Vermont - November 18, 2009

A new book by a Burlington-based lawyer, and member of the Burlington School Board, examines privacy in a world where technology keeps everyone connected.

Fred Lane spoke about privacy, Wednesday night, at UVM. He says technology first interfered with privacy around 1890 when cameras became small enough and fast enough that ordinary people could use them. Computers made staying private harder, and now - in world where Web cams are everywhere, phones have GPS systems, and we openly share information on sites like Facebook - Lane says privacy is at a premium.

"The thing about information is that once you put it into bits, ones and zeros on a drive of any sort, your ability to control that information rapidly decreases," he told the audience at his lecture.

Lane's book, American Privacy: The 400 Year History of Our Most Contested Right, is available in stores now.

Bianca Slota - WCAX News