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 Vermont, privacy is recognized as a legally protected interest, safeguarding individuals from unwarranted intrusions by the government and non-governmental entities into various aspects of their personal life. This includes protection against intrusion into homes, communications (such as phone and email), personal property (like luggage and vehicle compartments), personally identifiable information (PII), the body, and one's image and likeness. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides a foundational layer of protection against unreasonable searches and seizures by the government, thereby supporting the right to privacy. Vermont state statutes and federal laws further protect against the unauthorized use of personal information and privacy intrusions by private parties. However, the right to privacy is not absolute in public spaces, where there is no reasonable expectation of privacy. Exceptions exist, such as in medical settings or when using a phone booth, where privacy rights are upheld. Vermont's laws align with these principles, but specific applications and limitations of privacy rights can vary based on state statutes and court rulings.