Recently, it was reported that, via the YouHaveDownloaded.com tracking tool, IP addresses assigned to the RIAA were responsible for downloading copyrighted content, the very act the entity opposes. While this could come across as an “egg on your face” scenario, …

In the United States, we have some pretty easy-to-remember guidelines on what constitutes “public” and “private.”

Areas like your home and your car are considered private. With a few notable exceptions, other areas are public. These legal definitions apply to entities like the police and the press—anything that happens (or is found) in public is “fair game,” but to intrude on your privacy, the police have to have at least a reasonable suspicion of illegal activity (or your permission).