Definition:
Privacy is the ability of individuals to control access to their personal information, bodies, spaces, and decisions.
Usage Context:
Used in law, human rights discourse, digital systems, healthcare, and discussions of surveillance and autonomy.
Critical Note:
Privacy is often reframed as an individual preference rather than a structural condition for freedom. When privacy is eroded, power asymmetries deepen even if no single harm is immediately visible.
Related Terms:
Privacy Erosion, Surveillance Creep, Data Harvesting