Privacy in America is a concept usually mentioned in the context of abortion and gay rights.
You usually won’t see it anywhere else.
So, you sign your HIPPA paperwork at the doctor, but an educational establishment, law enforcement, the work force commission, insurance, CDC, NIH, pretty much everyone can read your personal information ***EXCEPT*** your mom, dad, brother, husband or children (unless you authorize them). It’s a joke. Read a HIPPA statement and who has access to your information.
Ever read the MS end user agreement for the OS? They basically give themselves the right to see what you’re browsing, listen to you, watch you, take samples of any MS product you created and use them for “improving their product.” They can see when you turn your computer on, off, what other applications you install, etc. Windows = access to everything for MS.
Privacy does not exist in America when it comes to big business and government who often collude in this matter. Their lawyers have figured out ways to talk themselves around any semblance of this concept. The government basically argued many years past (during the George H. Bush era) that anything on the www is in the public domain, i.e. no different than if you were yelling it at a ballpark. So the government sees anything you fax, email, text, say and that goes over IP as collectable information where no warrant is really necessary unlike say the USPS and snail mail. It is in fact suspicious activity if you take action (encryption that works) to keep your privacy.
Sadly, in countries like the UK and US where the invasion of privacy is the WORST, you actually have national policy makers unwittingly quoting Goebbels today: “if you’ve nothing to hide you have nothing to fear”
https://www.thejournal.ie/surveillance-bill-goebbels-2426368-Nov2015/
When I hear people mention HIPPA or “privacy” in America I just want to roll my eye’s like some teenager. It’s corny and silly. You have no privacy.
BUT!!! You can keep that STD you got from the prostitute a secret from your wife! Of course big brother will know (required reporting so it’s shared with government), but not your wife, and that’s what privacy is all about, right folks?