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One reason is that exposing some forms of personal information can lead to discrimination. For instance, access to private medical records or to genetic informa

One reason is that exposing some forms of personal information can lead to discrimination. For instance, access to private medical records or to genetic information may allow insurance companies to discriminate against people they believe might be predisposed to certain health risks. Additionally, there is a reason why people don't like revealing things about themselves (like their salaries, for example): it opens them up to judgment and allows society to comment on how they rank hierarchically within a certain community. Privacy allows us to feel comfortable revealing only the information we think won't detriment us in the eyes of others, especially because this can have significant tangible effects on our lives.

miguelrochefort 12y ago
> One reason is that exposing some forms of personal information can lead to discrimination Prejudice, which is central to discrimination, is usually a consequence of limited information. The less you know, the easier it is to generalize. When you know everything, "discrimination" becomes facts. > For instance, access to private medical records or to genetic information may allow insurance companies to discriminate against people they believe might be predisposed to certain health risks. Rightly so. Likewise, healthy people could have better rates. > Additionally, there is a reason why people don't like revealing things about themselves (like their salaries, for example): it opens them up to judgment and allows society to comment on how they rank hierarchically within a certain community. Again, how is that a problem? Do you have a plan to help poor people afford nice clothes and nice cars so that they can look as rich as their boss? > Privacy allows us to feel comfortable revealing only the information we think won't detriment us in the eyes of others, especially because this can have significant tangible effects on our lives. I don't want my employers to know my GPA. I don't want banks to know my credit score. I don't want the government to know I went to jail. Yet, these are not things we can hide, even if they "have significant tangible effects on our lives". If the objective is equality, hiding negative qualities won't cut it. You'll have to prevent people from showing their positive qualities too.

miguelrochefort 12y ago

> One reason is that exposing some forms of personal information can lead to discrimination Prejudice, which is central to discrimination, is usually a consequence of limited information. The less you know, the easier it is to generalize. When you know everything, "discrimination" becomes facts. > For instance, access to private medical records or to genetic information may allow insurance companies to discriminate against people they believe might be predisposed to certain health risks. Rightly so. Likewise, healthy people could have better rates. > Additionally, there is a reason why people don't like revealing things about themselves (like their salaries, for example): it opens them up to judgment and allows society to comment on how they rank hierarchically within a certain community. Again, how is that a problem? Do you have a plan to help poor people afford nice clothes and nice cars so that they can look as rich as their boss? > Privacy allows us to feel comfortable revealing only the information we think won't detriment us in the eyes of others, especially because this can have significant tangible effects on our lives. I don't want my employers to know my GPA. I don't want banks to know my credit score. I don't want the government to know I went to jail. Yet, these are not things we can hide, even if they "have significant tangible effects on our lives". If the objective is equality, hiding negative qualities won't cut it. You'll have to prevent people from showing their positive qualities too.