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Scalia and Privacy

Wow! Justice Scalia does not do humor, does he? Or irony, either. See a delicious collection of links and dish at Above the Law here. Justice Scalia had spoken at a privacy conference hosted by the Institute of American and Talmudic Law, and reported at Concurring Opinions here. The justice was reported as being untroubled by privacy issues:

Scalia said he was largely untroubled by such Internet tracking. "I don't find that particularly offensive," he said. "I don't find it a secret what I buy, unless it's shameful."

He added there's some information that's private, "but it doesn't include what groceries I buy."

Data such as drug prescriptions probably should be protected, he said, suggesting areas off-limits to data gatherers could simply be listed for legal purposes.

And that is why, according to Above the Law, Fordham Law Professor Joel Reidenberg assigned his class on information privacy to create a dossier on private information about Justice Scalia and his family. The students were amazingly resourceful and managed to produce quite a dossier (online, but password protected -- that's what university counsel are good for!).

Prof. Reidenberg, like any proud teacher, sent Justice Scalia a copy of the dossier (or maybe the interfering busybodies at Above the Law clued Scalia in on the dossier -- the post is not clear!). At any rate, the justice was not amused.

Full post as published by Out of the Jungle on May 02, 2009 (boomark / email).