Fresh Air

Everyone expects a degree of privacy. But who holds the reins over our personal information? And does it matter if it’s collected by government, by a search engine, or if we willingly give it away? In this hour, TED speakers explore ideas about our changing notions of privacy, the consequences and benefits. When Hasan Elahi’s name was mistakenly added to the U.S. government’s watch list, he fought the assault on his privacy by turning his life inside-out for the world to see. Hacker and security expert Mikko Hyppönen says virtually every international internet user is being watched — and he makes the case for privacy in the age of government surveillance. Former U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer Beth Noveck shares her vision of practical openness – connecting bureaucracies to citizens, and creating a truly participatory democracy. Health IT expert John Wilbanks explores whether the desire to protect privacy is slowing research, and if opening up medical data could create a wave of health care innovation. Behavioral economist Alessandro Acquisti explains how everyday decisions contribute to blurring the line between our public and private lives.