LAW 348 - Privacy Law

Should the NSA tap Americans’ phone calls? Should Target be liable to consumers for data breaches? What if Snapchat doesn’t really delete images but stores them–should users have recourse? Given modern technological realities, is privacy dead? This course will review the historical roots of the concept of privacy in U.S. law, the common clash between privacy and the public good, and the shifting balance of privacy rights in rapidly changing technological contexts. We will aim to understand privacy’s place amidst the swirl of commercial and national security interests and the rise of the global Internet. Grades will be determined by class participation and a final exam.