The phrase "the right to be left alone" is most famously associated with Justice Louis Brandeis, who, in a 1928 Supreme Court dissent, articulated a fundamental aspect of privacy law. This concept has since become a cornerstone in the ongoing debate over personal privacy and governmental overreach.

Who: Justice Louis Brandeis, an influential Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, is credited with popularizing the phrase. His legal philosophy and writings have left a lasting impact on American jurisprudence.

Where: The phrase was prominently featured in Brandeis's dissent in the case of Olmstead v. United States, a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.

When: The Olmstead case was decided in 1928. In his dissent, Brandeis outlined his views on privacy, which have since influenced legal thought and privacy rights.

Why: The Olmstead case involved the government's use of wiretapped private telephone conversations to obtain evidence against bootleggers during Prohibition. The majority opinion held that such wiretaps did not violate the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures because there was no physical intrusion. Brandeis, however, argued that the principles of privacy extended beyond physical spaces and encompassed the protection of personal information and communications.

How: In his dissent, Brandeis articulated the idea that the Constitution's protections should evolve to cover new forms of intrusion brought about by technological advancements. He famously wrote that "the right to be let alone" is "the most comprehensive of rights and the right most valued by civilized men." This perspective emphasized that privacy is an essential aspect of individual freedom and dignity.

Justice Brandeis's articulation of the "right to be left alone" has had a profound influence on the development of privacy law. It laid the groundwork for later legal decisions that expanded privacy protections to include various forms of surveillance and data collection. In today's digital age, where technology continually reshapes the boundaries of privacy, Brandeis's insights remain highly relevant. His vision of privacy as a fundamental right underscores ongoing debates over issues such as data security, government surveillance, and the ethical use of personal information.