Tangible Privacy Harms
This explorer summarizes Chapter 4 of *Strategic Privacy by Design*, moving beyond moral indignities to examine the physical, mental, and other tangible consequences of privacy violations. We will explore a framework for categorizing these harms and understand their complex relationship with the privacy violations that cause them.
The Calo Taxonomy: A Foundational Framework
Ryan Calo categorizes privacy harms into two broad types. Click each to learn more.
Subjective Harms
Internal to the individual.
Definition: "The perception of unwanted observation."
- Can occur even without an actual privacy invasion.
- Includes fear, anxiety, embarrassment, and behavioral changes (e.g., chilling effects).
- Aversion to observation can exist in degrees, not just a binary "yes" or "no".
Objective Harms
External to the individual.
Definition: "Forced or unanticipated use of personal information."
- Objectively visible detriments.
- Applies when information is used nonconsensually or in an unexpected way.
- If information is volunteered, the resulting detriment is not considered a privacy harm under this definition.
Exploring Tangible Consequences
The six primary tangible consequences are detailed below. Click on any row to view its full definition and examples.
| Consequence Category | Nature (Calo Taxonomy) | Impact Example |
|---|---|---|
| 🧠 Psychological | Subjective | Anxiety, loss of trust, embarrassment. |
| 🚶♂️ Behavioral | Subjective | Changed behavior, reclusion, chilling effects. |
| 🚫 Lost Opportunity | Objective | Denial of jobs, insurance, or housing. |
| 💸 Economic Loss | Objective | Financial costs, inability to get loans. |
| ⛓️ Lost Liberty/Life | Objective | Bodily injury, incarceration, death. |
| 👥 Social Detriment | Objective | Shunning, ostracism, loss of trust from others. |
Examples from Chapter 4:
Mapping Tangible Consequences
The six categories of harm can be organized by their subjective or objective nature.
Subjective Harms
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Psychological
Loss of trust, anxiety, embarrassment.
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Behavioral
Changed behavior, digital detox, reclusion.
Objective Harms
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Lost Opportunity
Denial of employment, housing, or insurance.
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Economic Loss
Financial costs and inconvenience.
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Lost Liberty/Life
Bodily injury, incarceration, death.
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Social Detriment
Shunning, ostracism, loss of trust from others.
Violation vs. Consequence
A privacy violation and a tangible consequence are not the same. Explore the four possible scenarios by clicking on the quadrants below.