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Found 1 result

  1. I've only found a couple of Rand's statements on the subject of "privacy" using Google. Both of them seemed to deal with the question of privacy against governmental intrusion. Here, I'm more interested in how Rand specifically, and Objectivism generally, handle the question of privacy against private intrusion. Optimally, I'd like citations in the answers, but they're not absolutely necessary. Below are a few fact situations I'd like addressed. Some of them make assumptions which might seem improbable, but that's because I'm trying to see if Rand/Objectivism have any way of addressing these issues beyond contract and private property rights, or how it handles them within that paradigm. Please answer according to the assumptions. If it is important to you to comment on how "unrealistic" a situation is, feel free to do so--after you answer according to the assumptions. All questions take place in Aynrandzistan, a duly constituted functioning Objectivist state. Please analyze these situations according to the hypothetical laws (as you suppose them) of Aynrandzistan. Do not begin your answers until the proctor says "start." Later, when the proctor says stop, immediately stop, lay down your pencils, and close your blue books. Await further instructions. Ready... start. 1) CEO Adam and CFO Bill sit down in an outdoor park on company property. Conversation at a normal voice is inaudible from any physical location within X distance of them. All physical locations within X distance are on company property. They have a conversation at a normal voice involving sensitive company information. But PI Charlie has an electronic listening device similar to but more powerful than one of these (yes, I'm aware it's a toy). It's what might be called an "electronic ear." It is a dish with an electronic device making it possible to hear normal conversation at Y distance, beyond X. He listens to and records their conversation from distance Y, off of company property. He delivers the recording to Adam and Bill's competitor. 2) Very similar circumstances to 1, but this time Adam and Bill have their conversation *inside* a corporate building. Now Charlie has an even more advanced electronic listening device which allows him to hear their conversation even through the closed windows of the room. 3) CEO Adam takes his smart phone to get it repaired. Ricky Repairman says "oh, I think I can fix that problem really quick. Give me a second." Adam nods his head, and the repairman takes the phone to another room. He repairs the phone, but also installs on it software which permits him to remotely intercept Adam's phone calls and text messages. Ricky hands the phone back to Adam. Adam pays in cash, and leaves without ever signing a contract. Ricky makes a small fortune selling information he receives to Adam's competitors. 4) A retiring psychiatrist publishes all of his patient records complete with names and identifying (lawfully taken and owned) photographs on the web. Any pertinent contracts are silent on the question of confidentiality of patient records. Patients trusted their confidentiality because of the profession's known custom of keeping patient records confidential. 5) What would Ayn Rand think of our Federal Wiretap Act, which bars private interception of electronic communications? 6) The Federal Wiretap Act bars electronic interceptions in ways Objectivists might not expect. For example, it bars you from electronically eavesdropping on conversations you are not a party to, even when the phone being used belongs to you. So now CEO Adam is at a dinner party hosted by a business associate. He gets a text from CFO Bill asking to please call. Adam's phone malfunctions without warning. He decides to take the phone to Ricky Repairman tomorrow. But tonight, he needs to get back in touch with Bill. He asks to use the host's land line. The host declines to mention to Adam that he records all calls made on his land line. Adam makes his call. The host sells the information so obtained to Adam's competitors. The host's conduct is clearly illegal in America under the FWT. Would Rand be okay with that? Is his conduct legal in Aynrandzistan? 7) CEO Adam has a 13 year old daughter. Pervert Pete has to go out of his way to do it, but he eventually does find a place off of Adam's property and where he has a right to be where he can peer into the girl's bedroom, and even record her activities with a video camera. He records the daughter's bedroom activities, and sells the pornographic videos on the internet. 8) Same as 7, only this time Pete doesn't record the girl's activities. He just watches them for his own arousal. I guess what I'm ultimately asking is whether or not Rand recognizes any sort of interpersonal privacy rights other than those arising from contract, and those built into natural boundaries of private property, and what happens when the boundaries of private property may be breached without any apparent "initiation of force" Thank you in advance to anyone who dares to tackle these.
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