Privacy in real life and on the net

We are still deeply rooted in our historic habits. Most of our time we spend milling around - sleeping, eating, working, shopping, playing - without the use of gadgets (computers etc.) and we are used to the concept of privacy: We interact with people in physical proximity to us and can act accordingly. If we like these people we can stay in contact - if not, we can (usually) go away. And we can avoid attending locations where those we don't want to meet assemble. And you will normally evaluate anybody from a distance before establishing contact. If they are completely disguised, you will normally avoid contact.

Our home is our castle
One of the basic human rights is 'privacy'. When we are at home we can do - almost - anything without interference or surveillance from other people, including authorities. It is one of the basic human rights - Article 12 in http://www.hrweb.org/legal/udhr.html. This is often translated as a right to be anonymous. But it is something different. Your family, neighbours and friends know who you are - and they have usually a more or less complete idea of what you are doing.

Privacy on the internet
Usually the physical conception of privacy is translated to a right to be anonymous on the internet. This is wrong. My privacy on the internet is based on non-anonymity of myself and everybody else. I must require the same right to know 'who is in the neighborhood' as in the physical world. If they are disguised, I don't want to interact with them. And if I spot an individual which I don't want to contact, I must have the right to avoid meeting him or her.