Privacy & Confidentiality

The issue of privacy and confidentiality are related to new media as well in our everyday lives.  However, they mean distinctly different things from a legal standpoint. 

Privacy refers to the freedom from intrusion into one's personal matters, and personal information.  A good example is medical examinations. Most things done in public places would not be considered private.  Most people who post their personal information online they are giving up their privacy.  Once you post something on social media everyone else will be able to see your pictures or comments.

Before you post anything online, think about what a hacker, stalker, employer, or potential employer could do with that data.

On the other hand, confidentiality refers to personal information shared with an attorney, physician, therapist, or other individual that generally cannot be divulged to third parties without the express consent of the client. As an example, if my boss tells me this information is “held in confidence” I can’t share any information, only after authorization is provided.  It works the same way for journalists.  A journalist cannot divulge confidential information without either permission from the source of the information or from an order from a court.