THE DISTRIBUTION OF PRIVACY RISKS - WHO NEEDS PROTECTION

It is commonly accepted that the use of personal information in busine ss and government puts individual privacy at risk. However, little is known about these risks-for instance, whether and how they can be meas ured, and how they vary across social groups and the sectors in which personal data are used. Unless we can gain a purchase on such issues, our knowledge of the societal effects of information technology and sy stems will remain deficient, and the ability to make and implement bet ter policies for privacy protection, and perhaps for a more equitable distribution of risk and protection, will remain impaired. The article explores this topic, examining conventional paradigms in data protect ion, including the one-dimensional view of the ''data subject,'' that inhibit better conceptualizations and practices. It looks at some comp arative survey evidence that casts light on the question of the distri bution of privacy risks and concerns. It examines theoretical issues i n the literature on risk, raising questions about the objectivity and perception of the risk of privacy invasion.