Large organizations with the help of computer technology collect vast sums of personal information from every one of us. Government agencies have collected increasingly large amounts of personal data from us in recent years -- but perhaps more troubling is the even greater amount of data being collected by private companies. You may have noticed that the banner advertisements on your computer screen are customized to cater to your particular interests. This is because companies like Google collect information about you as you serf the internet. Some businesses maintain a record of every keystroke you make on company computers -- and track your movements with video cameras.

Question: Is the right to privacy rapidly becoming a thing of the past? If so, what are the consequences for individuals and for society?