Nothing to Hide Argument

This cluster centers on debates and critiques of the 'nothing to hide' argument used to dismiss the importance of privacy, with commenters arguing that privacy is a fundamental right independent of having secrets.

📉 Falling 0.4x Politics & Society
8,284
Comments
19
Years Active
5
Top Authors
#9412
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2008
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Keywords

WANT NOT wikipedia.org privacy hide expectation privacy argument private don care expectation don need identity secrecy

Sample Comments

dotnet00 Aug 23, 2023 View on HN

Why do you need privacy if you have nothing to hide?

nyolfen Jan 18, 2020 View on HN

"i don't care if i don't have privacy" is not as strong an argument as you think. almost nobody wants strangers to be able to stalk them trivially and arbitrarily.

CaptainFever Jun 19, 2025 View on HN

It's not your business. This is just the old nothing to hide argument: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nothing_to_hide_argument

Myrth Mar 29, 2019 View on HN

what privacy is for, if not freedom

copperx Feb 20, 2024 View on HN

That sounds like the old "I don't do bad things therefore I don't need privacy" pro-spying argument.

underseacables Nov 27, 2023 View on HN

Why worry about privacy if you've got nothing to hide...

antihero Jun 28, 2021 View on HN

I guess it's about personal privacy vs private privacy.

yowlingcat Feb 3, 2019 View on HN

Everyone thinks they've got nothing to hide, but that doesn't mean they should freely cede privacy. How much is your freedom worth?

anotherevan Aug 14, 2023 View on HN

"I need privacy, not because my actions are questionable, but because your judgement and intentions are."https://infosec.exchange/@itisiboller/109472911587284824

tempodox Mar 3, 2016 View on HN

Everybody has something to hide. It's called privacy.