David Vincent

David Vincent is Professor of Social History at the Open University, where he was previously a Pro-Vice-Chancellor. His publications include: Literacy and Popular Culture, England 1750-1914 (CUP, 1989

The 1840s privacy panic - lessons from history

State interception of postal correspondence marks the first major privacy scandal of modernity. The real question, then as now, is how the public reacts - it is this that will determine the future of state surveillance. And the signs don't look promising.

By David Vincent

/ 16 Oct 2013