The Telegraph and Personal Privacy: A Historical and Legal Perspective

Abstract

After its development in the 1840s, the telegraph allowed individuals to communicate virtually anywhere in a matter of minutes. This article examines the development of the technology and its effect on personal privacy, both from a historical and legal perspective. It discusses how business, the courts, government and individuals responded to the threat of eavesdropping and free transfer of personal information to unknown parties brought on by the telegraph. Comparisons are made between the issues brought up by the telegraph and more modern issues related to the Internet.

Notes

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27. Ibid.

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31. Ibid.

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33. Ibid.

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40. Ibid.

41. Ibid.

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