Privacy What Developers and IT Professionals Should Know

Spam As a Privacy Issue

In 1928, Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote, “They conferred, as against the government, the right to be left alone—the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men.”^[5] The right to be left alone became the battle cry of many privacy advocates. Spam is considered an invasion of a right that is categorized as communication privacy.^[6] Just as you would not want a stranger knocking on your door, calling you on the phone, or following you down the street, receiving unsolicited mail is an infringement of your right to be left alone. The receipt of spam can also be considered a violation of your right to determine for yourself when, how, and to what extent information about you is used.^[7]

^[5] This was ...