--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Privacy is a protection from the…" description: "\"“Privacy is a protection from the unreasonable use of state and corporate power. But that is, in a sense, a secondary thing. In the first instance, pri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/nick-harkaway-4221_cybersecurity_privacy-is-a-protection-from-the-unreaso_1026922.png" --- # Privacy is a protection from the unreasonable use of state… ![“Privacy is a protection from the unreasonable use of state and corporate power. But that is, in a sense, a secondary thing. In the first instance, privacy is the statement in words of a simple understanding, which belongs to the instinctive world rather than the formal one, that some things are…” quote by Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/nick-harkaway-4221_cybersecurity_privacy-is-a-protection-from-the-unreaso_1026922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/nick-harkaway-4221_cybersecurity_privacy-is-a-protection-from-the-unreaso_1026922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f67/nick-harkaway-4221_cybersecurity_privacy-is-a-protection-from-the-unreaso_1026922.png) > ““Privacy is a protection from the unreasonable use of state and corporate power. But that is, in a sense, a secondary thing. In the first instance, privacy is the statement in words of a simple understanding, which belongs to the instinctive world rather than the formal one, that some things are the province of those who experience them and not naturally open to the scrutiny of others: courtship and love, with their emotional nakedness; the simple moments of family life; the appalling rawness of grief. That the state and other systems are precluded from snooping on these things is important - it is a strong barrier between the formal world and the hearth, extended or not - but at root privacy is a simple understanding: not everything belongs to everyone.”” [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Privacy is the innate belief that personal experiences belong to individuals, not to be exposed to state or corporate scrutiny. **In simple terms:** Personal moments are private. Key Takeaway Guard personal boundaries. Themes privacy individual rights trust intimacy Mood reflective protective Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - family gatherings - romantic relationships - grief counseling - online communication - workplace interactions Key Concepts social contract autonomy human dignity Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal privacy with societal safety? - When does privacy become a barrier to accountability? A Different Perspective Privacy can clash with security or transparency needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Digital](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/digital/) [Family life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-life/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Personal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Privacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/privacy/) [Snooping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/snooping/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [The first step in good reporting is good snooping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-drudge/the-first-step-in-good-reporting-is-good-snooping/) [Matt Drudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-drudge/) > [There are programs such as the NSA paying RSA $10 million to use an insecure encryption standard by default in their products. That's making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/there-are-programs-such-as-the-nsa-paying-rsa-10-million-to-use-an/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [The framers of our Constitution understood the dangers of unbridled government surveillance. They knew that democracy could flourish only in spaces free from government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-holtzman/the-framers-of-our-constitution-understood-the-dangers-of-unbridled/) Elizabeth Holtzman > [“The more personal, revealing and sniveling, the more interesting...I wanna feel like I'm snooping, peeking thru the keyhole into somebody's, anybody's, private hell...no detail…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aline-kominsky-crumb/the-more-personal-revealing-and-sniveling-the-more-interesting-i/) Aline Kominsky-Crumb > [Please give reason. Raised taxes; marching us off to war again; approved more NSA snooping. WHO ARE THEY?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-drudge/please-give-reason-raised-taxes-marching-us-off-to-war-again-approved/) [Matt Drudge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-drudge/) > [Capitalism is based on self-interest and self-esteem; it holds integrity and trustworthiness as cardinal virtues and makes them pay off in the marketplace, thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/capitalism-is-based-on-self-interest-and-self-esteem-it-holds/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [The first rule of snooping is to come at it sideways.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ann-shaffer/the-first-rule-of-snooping-is-to-come-at-it-sideways/) [Mary Ann Shaffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ann-shaffer/) > [“the summer of 2008, years before her private e-mail server became a campaign issue, Hillary learned about the power of digital snooping. At the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-allen/the-summer-of-2008-years-before-her-private-e-mail-server-became-a/) [Jonathan Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-allen/) > [“Are snoopers snooping on their own pain? Probably.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/are-snoopers-snooping-on-their-own-pain-probably/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [“How did you know my size?" "While you were in the shower yesterday, I browsed around."... ..."Jason, that's not okay. You were snooping in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-c-brown/how-did-you-know-my-size-while-you-were-in-the-shower-yesterday-i/) [C.C. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-c-brown/) > [But films should be voyeuristic. 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But I also think, in light of some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lutz/i-have-certain-rules-for-snooping-under-which-anything-out-in-the/) [Lisa Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lutz/) > [Edward Snowden gave a little press conference today. He is apparently seeking temporary asylum in Russia. Because, you know, when you're tired of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/edward-snowden-gave-a-little-press-conference-today-he-is-apparently/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) ## More by Nick Harkaway > [“We were deluged together in the raw, unbalanced Stuff of the universe. Inevitable consequence: My own little reification. I was made flesh, and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/we-were-deluged-together-in-the-raw-unbalanced-stuff-of-the-universe/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Her eyes are very bright. She loves senses, loves the world. He finds that…admirable, and a bit daunting. I am a mole. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/her-eyes-are-very-bright-she-loves-senses-loves-the-world-he-finds/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“An ugly calm lay over the streets like the anticipation of a beating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/an-ugly-calm-lay-over-the-streets-like-the-anticipation-of-a-beating/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [If we one day cease to exist, what will be remarkable is that we were ever here at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/if-we-one-day-cease-to-exist-what-will-be-remarkable-is-that-we-were/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Crotch biting menace:I have my mouth in close proximity to your genitals.Oh thou man who talks to my mistress over coffee.Do not irk or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/crotch-biting-menace-i-have-my-mouth-in-close-proximity-to-your/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“I can show him how to be the right kind of stupid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/i-can-show-him-how-to-be-the-right-kind-of-stupid/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“She has to admit privately that she may be mad. 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You had to listen to what a Brit was saying -- which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/kershaw-had-long-ago-realised-apparently-that-dealing-with-brits-was/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Then he explained in a whisper that the plan was composed entirely of awesome. It was made and designed by the House of Awesome,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/then-he-explained-in-a-whisper-that-the-plan-was-composed-entirely-of/) [nick harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [“Yes. Edie Banister has gone postal. A very British sort of postal which does not involve shouting, but rather a sudden and total reverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/yes-edie-banister-has-gone-postal-a-very-british-sort-of-postal-which/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [Nowhere have I ever heard of Satan taking the form of an avuncular hippie. No doubt he could. It just seems inefficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/nowhere-have-i-ever-heard-of-satan-taking-the-form-of-an-avuncular/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [I have wrangles with Facebook, entered fictitious trips because I can't get the map to get off my page, don't want people to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-harkaway/i-have-wrangles-with-facebook-entered-fictitious-trips-because-i-can/) [Nick Harkaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-harkaway/) > [Piracy is robbery with violence, often segueing into murder, rape and kidnapping. It is one of the most frightening crimes in the world. 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This is a lesson we learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-boustany/our-engagement-through-international-economics-trade-these-trade/) [Charles Boustany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-boustany/) > [“Responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and naming for you...it means that you do not treat your body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/responsibility-to-yourself-means-refusing-to-let-others-do-your/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [I'm OK with guns in schools, if it's a security, trained security personnel. But every teacher having a gun, I don't know if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-tantaros/i-m-ok-with-guns-in-schools-if-it-s-a-security-trained-security/) [Andrea Tantaros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-tantaros/) > [I'm also the chairman of the board of Symantec, which is the world's largest cybersecurity - software cybersecurity company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/i-m-also-the-chairman-of-the-board-of-symantec-which-is-the-world-s/) [Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [Fraud will always exist. Enforcement of anti-fraud laws is a useful deterrent, but in the end there's no substitute for investor vigilance. 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