Privacy Rights and Press Freedoms

Since as early as the 17^th century, there has been controversy regarding the subject of privacy rights and press freedoms. While America is one of the few countries in the world that allows the press greater leniency in reporting, it was only after the Revolutionary War and then three years after the Sedition Act of 1798 that journalists were allowed to freely print information on and critique government officials. While those in opposition of freedom of press feel that some types of reporting are an infringement of privacy and may affect one's right to a fair trial (such as in televising court cases), others feel that, "The amount of freedom a nation gives its press...is a barometer of how much liberty its citizens enjoy. Regulations might protect a few people's privacy, but they would do so at the cost of weakening the unique and invaluable rights of Americans to express themselves and to be informed about how they are being governed." (FACTS.com database, 2006). To further analyze this matter, just what are the common privacy rights held by U.S. citizens?