1. What is the right to privacy?
Definition and scope: What exactly is privacy legally, socially, and ethically? Is it physical privacy, data privacy, or both?
2. Why does the right to privacy matter?
Implication for personal autonomy, dignity, and liberty. In what way does privacy safeguard individuals against undue interference and surveillance?
3. How is the right to privacy protected under international law?
Which international treaties and declarations (e.g. the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 12) protect the right to privacy?
4. What are the greatest privacy threats today?
Think about surveillance by technology, hacking and other breaches of personal data, social networking, business exploitation of customer information, and governmental overreaching.
5. How does law vary by country regarding a right to privacy?
Compare frameworks like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU with no federal-level privacy laws in other countries.
6. How does technology shape privacy rights?
Consider both challenges (mass surveillance, AI profiling) and opportunities (encryption, anonymization).
7. Can privacy rights be in conflict with other rights or interests?
Consider the tension between privacy and security, free expression, and public health measures.
8. What obligations do corporations have to protect privacy?
Talk about corporate accountability in data collection, storage, and sharing. What ethical standards should they meet?
9. What role do individuals play in protecting their privacy?
Personal responsibility, digital literacy, and the use of privacy-enhancing tools (e.g., VPNs, secure browsers).
10. What’s the future of privacy rights in the digital age?
How are emerging technologies such as quantum computing and blockchain going to redefine privacy? What trends and policies are shaping this future?
