Technology and Privacy in the Workplace

Technology and Privacy in the Workplace

Kevin Koehler

BUSN150

August 29, 2010

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Privacy has been one of the most hotly contested rights for the past 400 years, and the increasing usage of technology to conduct business promises to keep this issue alive for the foreseeable future.

The evolution of a right to privacy parallels the development of the humanist tradition. A right of privacy presupposes on the belief that each human being has intrinsic value, meaning that each human being is valuable in and of him or herself. Respect for this belief becomes the fundamental source of all human rights. The Constitution does not specifically mention a right to privacy. However, Supreme Court decisions over the years have established that the right to privacy is a basic right, and as such is protected by virtue of the 9th Amendment which states that, “The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.”, (U.S. Const. Amendment 9). The 9th Amendment is frequently turned to by federal courts when they are asked by various people to recognize new “unenumerated rights” retained by the people. The 9th Amendment was ratified in 1791 and was an outgrowth of a disagreement between the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists over the importance of attaching a Bill of Rights to the Constitution. The Anti-Federalists opposed ratification because they believed the Constitution conferred too much power on the federal government, instead supported a Bill of Rights to help prevent tyrannical rule of government. The Federalists, on the other hand supported ratification of the Constitution without a Bill of Rights because they believed that any enumeration of fundamental liberties was necessary and dangerous. The Federalists were concerned that any constitutional enumeration of liberties might imply that other rights not enumerated by the Constitution would be...