Privacy is important in US society for a number of reasons, but librarians are most interested in privacy because we all need to feel safe as we explore new ideas. Being judged for our reading habits or the kinds of information we consume can have a chilling effect on learning, public debate, and personal growth.
Thus, I thought that this report from Pew was worth sharing about the impact of government surveillance and the perceptions of privacy.
Pew Research Center Internet Project: Public Perceptions of Privacy and Security in the Post-Snowden Era