I read a very interesting article addressing these issues a while back, can't recall who wrote it. The general idea was that in the times before the development of
quick communication and
speedy transportation, people actually enjoyed
less privacy. Everyone in your village knew more-or-less how much you earned, who you were seeing, etc.
The problem, according to the writer, is caused not by people being able to access information about each other, but by people not being able to do this equally.
DoubleClick can check out on you, and so can the CIA - if I could too, so says the writer, everything would be fine.
I, for one, say to that: pull the other one, sahib, this one has bells on it.