In contrast, the southern (or Mediterranean) view is that public authorities should make and enforce the law, but not otherwise nag on about personal behaviour.

ECONOMIST: Charlemagne

The law requires public-housing authorities to decide whether improving such projects is cheaper than simply giving residents vouchers to find private housing.

ECONOMIST: High-rise brought low at last

Once such a person has boarded a commercial aircraft, there's no law that says airlines have to tell public authorities who else was on the flight who might have been exposed.

NPR: Man Eluded Attempts to Control Deadly TB Strain

This case led to Megan's Law, which requires authorities to notify the public about convicted sex offenders living in their communities.

BBC: RELATED BBC SITES

Recognizing that they are behind the curve compared with other countries with developed privacy law regimes, Chinese authorities have now circulated for public comment draft guidelines governing transmission and storage of personal data on computer systems.

FORBES: China: Seeking Balance In Regulating Data Privacy

But that right must be exercised subject to conditions laid down by authorities charged with the duty of keeping law and order and public peace.

BBC: India anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare detained

From the freedom of information viewpoint, this indicates how the law can provide access to video or audio material held by public authorities as well as the written word.

BBC: Pandemic flu advert revealed by Department of Health

The next few hours will likely see the fate sealed of legislation designed to protect alert, public-spirited Americans from harassment and potentially devastatingly expensive lawsuits arising from their warnings to law-enforcement authorities concerning possible terrorist activities.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Dem leaders try to hand Islamists a victory