Writing in their famous Harvard Law Review article of 1890, Louis Brandeis and Samuel Warren asserted what many have considered one of the most cherished American values: the right to be let alone. Yet in this post-9/11 world, personal privacy is more threatened than ever. This book provides students and general readers a comprehensive overview of privacy in contemporary America. Included are some 225 alphabetically arranged entries written by more than 100 expert contributors. Entries cover such topics as the USA PATRIOT act, abortion rights, wiretapping, telemarketing, identity theft, DNA databases, Internet and email privacy, and numerous other concerns. Entries cite works for further reading, and the Encyclopedia closes with a bibliography of books, websites, organizations, and films.

New threats to privacy have arisen in the face of competing social, political, and economic demands, rapid technological change, and an intrusive and voyeuristic mass media. Citizens are barraged on a daily basis with stories of corporate data mining, government surveillance programs, identity theft, and computer hacking of personal information. As a result, citizens are becoming increasingly concerned about their personal privacy as well as their privacy rights.

This encyclopedia, the first of its kind, comprehensively overviews various aspects of privacy throughout U.S. history, including significant legal cases, events, laws, organizations, individuals, technology, and terms. With some 225 alphabetically arranged entries written by more than 100 leading scholars and experts in the field, this inclusive and authoritative work will appeal to those interested in both historical and contemporary notions of privacy in the United States. Readers will learn of the significance of technology in today's society, its helpful and harmful effects on citizens' privacy, and what to expect in the future. Entries cite print and electronic resources, and the Encyclopedia closes with a listing of books, organizations, websites, films, and other sources of information.