Conference Paper, originally prepared for the 2012 Baylor Symposium on Faith and Culture: Technology and Human Flourishing.
Panel Topic: “Do Christian Values and Trends in Information Processing Suggest Privacy Laws Are Outdated?”
Latest Draft: November 2013.
Abstract:
Concerns about consumer privacy have intensified in recent years as electronic commerce has become more common. These concerns result from economic and technological developments that encourage retail specialization. Moreover, privacy can prevent markets from serving customers, and can contribute to a theologically problematic consumer culture. This essay argues that a theological concern for forming and preserving relationships in commerce can guide Christian responses to privacy concerns and to the consumer culture that results.