Privacy Is Dead, Long Live Privacy!

Abstract: Privacy is a hotly debated topic in academia and society. The digitalization of our world has had enormous implications for our privacy. Some researchers and public figures agree that privacy has changed substantially, that we are living in a post-privacy world, and that we need to address privacy differently. Conversely, others maintain that privacy remains a relevant concept in our society, and that, although facets and degrees of privacy change, the conceptual core and societal relevance remain unchanged and intact. In this paper, we discuss the current state and future of privacy, presenting two opposing stances on four central questions: Has privacy changed? Is privacy dead? Have we lost control over our own privacy? How should we react? With this dialogue we hope to provide an overview of current positions on privacy by presenting divergent lines of reasoning and thinking, while outlining potential paths forward.