Issues of individual privacy in the modern age will be put under the spotlight in a series of free public lectures arranged by Bristol University's Public Programmes Office this Spring.

The series of four talks entitled The Naked Citizen: Privacy, Law and Society begins on Thursday 20 February at 1 pm at Broadmead Baptist Church, Union Street, Bristol.

Given by Dr Andrew Charlesworth, Director of the University's Centre for IT and Law, the lectures will explore the issue of privacy as it relates to society in general, the workplace, the consumer and the internet. They are aimed at a general audience and no special knowledge is required.

Although almost everyone would agree that privacy is an essential part of human life, philosophers and lawyers have been debating the nature and scope of the 'right to privacy' for over a hundred years. These lectures will examine various aspects of the debate and consider how the law attempts to balance the individual's rights with the interests of society as a whole.

One of the lectures, Your Data for Sale: Privacy and the consumer, looks at how modern commerce relies heavily on the collection, processing and transfer of data about individuals, and examines the extent to which an individual's privacy can - and should - be protected by the law.

Another lecture, Surfing Alone or Swimming with Sharks: Privacy in cyberspace, considers how developments in computer technology such as data matching, CCTV and DNA profiling have fuelled the privacy debate.

The lecture series is part of a new outreach programme aimed at forging stronger links with the local community, encouraging lifelong learning and showing people some of the work going on at the University.

For further information about the programme, contact Kim Fitzgerald on 0117 928 7188 or kim.fitzgerald@bristol.ac.uk

Lecture dates:

Who Needs to Know: Privacy and society
Thursday 20 February 2003

The Panoptic Job: Privacy in the workplace
Thursday 27 February 2003

Your Data for Sale: Privacy and the consumer
Thursday 6 March 2003

Surfing Alone or Swimming with Sharks: Privacy in cyberspace
Thursday 13 March 2003

1 to 2 pm - Doors open from 12.30pm Waddelow Hall, Broadmead Baptist Church, Union Street, Bristol

The Broadmead Lunchtime Lectures are organised by the Public Programmes Office of the University of Bristol. They are informative yet informal - audience members are welcome to eat their lunch during the talks. Time is available for questions and comments from the audience at the end of each session.