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From: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: Re: Privacy of personal data (was Re: Personal Privacy Violations)
Message-ID: <14332@milton.u.washington.edu>
Date: 14 Jan 91 01:06:41 GMT
References: <1991Jan12.180934.1314@looking.on.ca> <14282@milton.u.washington.edu> <1991Jan13.075511.12521@looking.on.ca>
Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle
Lines: 15


Sorry, Brad, your reading of the Constitution (U.S.) and state constitutions
may be literally accurate (although I think not), but the interpretation
by the courts has gone quite the other way.  "Privacy" is recognized as a
"penumbral" right caused by the conjunction of other, literally expressed
rights.  The CA Constitution does not, as you claim, merely limit 
government interaction with citizens -- it explicitly defines a privacy
right separate and superior to both the search and seizure clauses of the
CA Constitution and statutes.

I appreciate that our opinions might differ, but please do study the law
before making claims that are not so.  I spent eight years doing that; it
is a complex field.  Thank you for the dialogue.

Bob Jacobson