Privacy Expert Eerily Predicts in 1979 How the American Public Will React to Modern Technology

Director David Hoffman shared a truly enlightening outtake from his 1979 film “The Information Society“, during which privacy expert Alan Westin spoke about advancing technology and predicted how the American public would respond to the seemingly embedded concerns about privacy.

A lot of people have thought…to prove that the American public is willing to give up its privacy, or that its becoming accustomed to losing its privacy in that, when the tradeoffs are all looked at, people are more interested in having better services or having criminals caught or terrorists looked out for than they are in having their privacy. Well that’s just not true.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.