Free-speech campaigners, who think the rich and powerful use privacy to shield wrongdoing, welcomed the decision.

ECONOMIST: Of privacy, the courts and (more importantly) the internet

Do you think that the Founders would approve or disapprove of the proposition that American citizens have an inherent right of privacy as a necessary shield and buffer against government intrusions such as those addressed by a plain reading of the First, Fourth and Fifth Amendments?

FORBES: Big Brother Is Increasingly Watching You

"The promised privacy safeguards do not provide adequate protection to shield Street View from the general requirement of notice and consent, " said the complaint.

BBC: Call to 'shut down' Street View

This rivets marketers, but riles privacy advocates, who argue Yahoo and other Web sites must do more to shield their customers from unauthorized and overly intrusive tracking techniques.

FORBES: The Killer Ad Machine

Most consumers don't read website privacy policies, which often contain vague legal language designed to be as broad as possible to shield companies, rather than to specify exactly what information is being collected.

WSJ: Apple, Google, Others Agree to App Privacy Rules