Justice On Display

Not that long ago, personal records were written by pen or typewriter. Copying them required more handwriting, carbon paper or a time consuming and occasionally messy process involving a machine called a spirit duplicator.

For third parties, obtaining copies of personal documentation would not have been straightforward. And, over time, the documentation would often be destroyed, misplaced or thrown away.

How times have changed. Technological developments, national security concerns, political pressures, changing business practices and generational factors have combined to create a wealth of accessible personal information, and, at the same time, to gradually erode traditional notions of privacy and confidentiality. Legislation is being passed in a bid to keep up with technological advances and our response to them – e.g. to force social media sites to allow children to erase online records so that their indiscretions do not come back to haunt them as adults.¹