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Photo Essay - Feb. 3, 2019

Using the camera as a research tool - allowing observations and stories of the people to unfold in a visually provoking narrative 

We have a right to privacy... right? 

The right to privacy has become an increasingly divided topic in today’s modern age fueled by the internet and big data. There are countless opportunities to gain access to information about individuals, which makes it seem that "privacy" is becoming less of a right and more of a privilege.

 

This contention around privacy piqued my interest about how different people think about it. I decided to explore how people control, or attempt to control, the amount of privacy they have in their life by focusing on one aspect: their living situations. The result of my curiosity is captured in this photo essay. 

Research Questions

In what contexts is privacy desirable?

How much control do people think they actually have over their own privacy?

How do people control, or attempt to control, the amount of privacy they have in their life? 

 

How do levels of privacy change in different living arrangements?

 

What are methods people use to maintain privacy?

 

What other factors does privacy depend on? 

Key Takeaways 

After looking at these different lifestyles and choices, I found that:

 

Privacy is often desired, but it costs money and resources to obtain. 

 

Wealthy neighborhoods are often walled off with cameras peering at visitors from every angle, while those who can't afford to build and buy their own privacy have to come up with slapdash means of control over their space. 

 

The supreme law of our country may grant an individual a fundamental right to privacy, but it seems to be transforming into more of a privilege granted to people with resources at their disposal. 

 

In essence, you can have the control over who knows what about you, but that control comes with a big price tag.

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