Transparency/Authenticity is good marketing. So why is "privacy" sacred?

We're always talking about the value of transparency in our organizations, corporations, and governments. Today, the marketing class emphasized the importance of authenticity, not lying, telling the truth, being open and transparency in company branding. We were told that a commitment to these qualities will build trust and cultivate relationships with our customers. And trusting relationships are what will build our brand's visibility. So, why don't people see the connection of openness to their personal brand? 


My question logically stems from the observation that such organizations, companies, and governments are composed of individuals who may or may not have strong feelings about the so-called violation of privacy that presents itself online. I once read in PsychologyToday (I know super trashy and I can't find a link!) about a study that showed, maybe somewhat ironically, that people who did not gossip were less trusted by their peers. What do these results signify about the perception of privacy? The study concluded that sharing information via gossiping was a form of trust building and intimating close connection between individuals. Gossiping or sharing? It's a fine line, right?


At the end of the day, I do believe that "sharing means caring" and I keep that in mind in my Facebook activity. My status updates aren't just sharing about the intimate details of my daily life but also articles, links, and jokes that I've come across during the day. If you're not creating this type of "entertainment and information" value for your network, then maybe you're not serving your friends (I'm looking at YOU people who post their daily schedules and what you ate for dinner). At least, that's what I think. 

Source

We expect large behemoth's (that are now considered individuals) to be ethical and transparent...so why do we cling so deeply to the opposite in our personal lives to the point that we've dubbed it positively as "privacy?" Meanwhile, I also feel bothered by the way we sometimes treat *other* people's privacy. For example, I think of the endless photo-streams of people's children on FB, Flickr, and YouTube. These are great platforms for sharing family photos with close friends and families...but at the end of the day, those kids had no say in whether or not their images could be shared with the world or to strangers they didn't know. Ultimately, we all have to choose what we're comfortable sharing with our networks and the world. 

For more info on different kinds of privacy, I really enjoyed reading Christopher's break down of the 4 kinds of privacies!