A Brief History of Privacy: From 18th Century Architectural Innovation to the Ironic Evolution of Surveillance Normalization

[Coin World] Let's talk about an interesting topic—privacy isn't as ancient as you think. Back in the 18th century, architectural designs began to feature structures like independent corridors, and the concept of “privacy” in physical space truly emerged. People in the Victorian era valued personal space culturally, but what about legally? The right to privacy in the U.S. Constitution wasn't “forcefully interpreted” until a series of court cases in the 1960s.

The more outrageous part is the subsequent development. Court rulings have increasingly narrowed the scope of protection, with surveillance gradually becoming the default option, and the wall originally built to block government and corporate prying is getting shorter and shorter. This evolution is particularly ironic in hindsight— the privacy protection system that was painstakingly established is now being systematically dismantled. This is also why topics like decentralization and on-chain privacy are gaining more attention in the Web3 world; the lessons of history are right there.