Why today’s students don’t care about privacy the way previous generations have

Across the US, post-secondary students are consenting to have their irises scanned to receive admission to a meal hall, or having their phones’ location functions indicate to their schools whether they’re attending classes. Members of an older generation see these developments as significant violations of privacy, write David Rosen and Aaron Santesso, but the fact remains that members of younger generations respond to these developments with either indifference or outright enthusiasm. The authors note how this generational divide can be broken down by looking at two views of privacy, one in which privacy is transactional and can be readily exchanged for convenience or economic benefit, and one in which privacy is a spiritual necessity for the development of the inner self. Chronicle of Higher Education(Subscription Required)