The Computer and Personal Privacy, Part I: The Individual Under Assault

The tremendous advancements that have recently occurred in computer technology, including central processing speed and low‐cost, high‐density mass storage, provide great potential benefits for individuals and for society. However, enhanced computer capabilities also can pose a major threat to individuals, if misused by governmental agencies, corporations, organized crime, and other entities. A number of computer‐based systems currently pose a threat to individual freedoms. This threat can increase greatly in the future if vigilant oversight is not constantly directed toward the control and prevention of misuse of databases. This is the first of three articles that will address the issues of personal privacy and the threat of the computer.