Comparative Analysis of Right to Privacy in India, United Kingdom and United States of America

Privacy, as any layman perceives, refers to one’s personal space. But the idea of privacy for eminent authors and jurists differs according to their field of studies. There is no conceptual clarity on the notion of privacy. Some refer privacy as a form of power, “the control we have over information about ourselves”. While some scholars refer privacy as mental satisfaction or peace, a mental state of “being-apart-from-others” or the condition in which the enjoyment of one’s personal affairs is regulated. Thus, it not wrong to presume that literature from different disciplines have different views on privacy. In any case, the majority of the perspectives and feelings depend on comparable idea. Privacy is a person’s very own decision of what data about oneself ought to be known to other people. This idea when broadened further includes the idea that what use others will make of such data, if such data is conveyed or acquired by others. Numerous authors go forward to include in this concept, the right to privacy of social groups and associations. Privacy when analyzed, it revolves around the theory of natural rights. When the new information and communication technologies enter into the picture, the right to privacy becomes more relevant. Contemporary and revolutionary advances in science and technology have had a significant effect on information violations and privacy breaches. The integration of technology called the convergence of computer and telecommunications technologies has created an atmosphere in which an ever-increasing collection and flow of personal information is accessible quite easily. With the advent of the Internet, the discovery, manipulation and collection of private and confidential information of individuals as well as state parties has now become quite simple. What was scattered, unimportant, small bits of data have now become a powerful broad collection of data that unauthorized individuals and anti-social elements can collect and misuse. In view of these remarkable changes several countries have introduced and implemented legislation on privacy protection and enforcement. Privacy has no fixed boundaries and different individuals have different definitions. This is an individual or group’s right to monitor the flow of personal information about them, and to keep their lives and personal problems out of public domain. There are already huge concerns regarding the security of personal data and information, especially in relation to one’s right to privacy.