i think this is illegal? or at least that's what i learned in business law!
Privacy laws of the United States
Invasion of privacy tort law
Invasion of privacy is a commonly used
cause of action in legal
pleadings. In the United States, the development of the doctrine regarding this tort was largely spurred by an
1890 Harvard Law Review article written by
Samuel D. Warren and
Louis D. Brandeis on
The Right of Privacy. Modern tort law includes four categories of invasion of privacy:
[3]
- Intrusion of solitude: physical or electronic intrusion into one's private quarters.
- Public disclosure of private facts: the dissemination of truthful private information which a reasonable person would find objectionable
- False light: the publication of facts which place a person in a false light, even though the facts themselves may not be defamatory.
- Appropriation: the unauthorized use of a person's name or likeness to obtain some benefits.
2. Public disclosure
Public disclosure of private facts arises where one person reveals information which is not of public concern, and the release of which would offend a reasonable person.
[9] "Unlike libel or slander, truth is not a defense for invasion of privacy."
[10] Disclosure of private facts includes publishing or widespread dissemination of little-known, private facts that are non-newsworthy, not part of public records, public proceedings, not of public interest, and would be offensive to a reasonable person if made public.
