https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=998565 Skip to main content PDF iconDownload This Paper Open PDF in Browser Add Paper to My Library Share: * * * * Permalink Using these links will ensure access to this page indefinitely [https://papers.ssrn.] Copy URL 'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy San Diego Law Review, Vol. 44, p. 745, 2007 GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 289 28 Pages Posted: 12 Jul 2007 Last revised: 27 Feb 2014 See all articles by Daniel J. Solove Daniel J. Solove George Washington University Law School Abstract In this short essay, written for a symposium in the San Diego Law Review, Professor Daniel Solove examines the nothing to hide argument. When asked about government surveillance and data mining, many people respond by declaring: "I've got nothing to hide." According to the nothing to hide argument, there is no threat to privacy unless the government uncovers unlawful activity, in which case a person has no legitimate justification to claim that it remain private. The nothing to hide argument and its variants are quite prevalent, and thus are worth addressing. In this essay, Solove critiques the nothing to hide argument and exposes its faulty underpinnings. Keywords: privacy, nothing to hide, data mining, surveillance JEL Classification: C80, D80 Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation Solove, Daniel J., 'I've Got Nothing to Hide' and Other Misunderstandings of Privacy. San Diego Law Review, Vol. 44, p. 745, 2007, GWU Law School Public Law Research Paper No. 289, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=998565 Daniel J. Solove (Contact Author) George Washington University Law School George Washington University Law School ( email ) 2000 H Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20052 United States 202-994-9514 (Phone) HOME PAGE: http://danielsolove.com PDF iconDownload This Paper Open PDF in Browser Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN? Place Job Opening Paper statistics Downloads 222,997 Abstract Views 773,659 Rank 3 14 Citations 7 References PlumX Metrics Related eJournals * George Washington University Law School, Public Law & Legal Theory Research Paper Series Follow George Washington University Law School, Public Law & Legal Theory Research Paper Series Subscribe to this free journal for more curated articles on this topic FOLLOWERS 3,667 PAPERS 1,575 This Journal is curated by: Thomas Colby at George Washington University Law School, Scott B. 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