# What are the limits of privacy in publishing data on the web about private citizens?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-limits-of-privacy-in-publishing-data-on-the-web-about-private-citizens/188174>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 13, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-limits-of-privacy-in-publishing-data-on-the-web-about-private-citizens/188174 "2003-07-13T16:45:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-limits-of-privacy-in-publishing-data-on-the-web-about-private-citizens/188174/1 "2003-07-13T16:45:51Z")

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Per this [other thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=197267) I initiated about an angry-at-police-guy publishing personal data about police officers on the web, made me wonder if there are any real limits, short of libel, to the data you can post about someone on the web.

Let’s say I lost my marbles and became obsessive about or insanely angry at someone. A girl that didn’t want to go out with me, a mod that banned me, a job recruiter than dissed me. I hire a private eye and gather up their SS#, work telephone numbers. I rummaged through their trash when it was on the curb and found out what shampoos they used, prescription drugs they were taking, sexual lubricants, sanitary napkins, what magazines they liked to read etc. etc. etc. and then I bundled all this together and published it on the web in a website for everyone’s perusal.

Aren’t I breaking _some_ kind of law?

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2003, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-limits-of-privacy-in-publishing-data-on-the-web-about-private-citizens/188174/2 "2003-07-13T18:29:00Z")

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IMHO, you’re a jerk, But you’re probably not breaking a law.

UNless you got your info from an illegal source. Say, like you had a friend in the police department(only as an example) who helped you get someone’s SS#, and then you posted it. If that number was NOT available thru a legimate public source, such as a Bankruptcy Court filing, then you broke the law.

Proving it may be a tough thing to do.