Privacy is a person’s legally protected interest in preventing government or other intrusion into their homes; their communications (phone, e-mail, in-person); their luggage; certain compartments of their motor vehicle (glovebox, trunk); their personally identifiable information (PII); their body (hair, clothing, unexposed body parts); their image and likeness (through unauthorized use); and other information, places, and property (real and personal) in which persons have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

People generally do not have a right to privacy from being photographed or heard (if done without use of surreptitious electronic or other surveillance technologies) in public places—essentially, when they step outside of their home. There are exceptions to this general rule in which persons do have a right to privacy—such as in a doctor’s exam room or when making a phone call in a phone booth.

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects people against government intrusions into their privacy.

And state and federal laws (statutes and court opinions) generally protect persons from unauthorized use of their personal information and from intrusions into their privacy by nongovernmental persons or entities. These protected privacy interests are generally limited to areas in which persons have a reasonable expectation of privacy (home, health information, image and likeness, e-mail communications, etc.)—and these laws vary from state to state.

In Oregon, privacy is recognized as a significant legal interest, protected from both government and non-governmental intrusions. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution serves as the foundation for privacy rights, safeguarding individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. This protection extends to areas where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as homes, personal communications, and certain areas of a vehicle like the glovebox and trunk. Oregon law also guards against the unauthorized use of personally identifiable information (PII) and protects individuals' likeness and image from unauthorized use. While in public spaces, individuals generally do not have a right to privacy from being photographed or overheard, unless electronic surveillance is involved. However, there are exceptions where privacy is preserved, such as in medical settings or when using a private phone booth. State statutes and federal laws provide additional privacy protections, which can vary, but they consistently aim to shield individuals from unwarranted intrusions into areas where privacy is reasonably expected.