The right to privacy was first conceived (in the US in the late XIX century) as "the right to be let alone". Now the right to privacy and overall idea of privacy have changed a lot for several reasons, one them being a completely different media landscape. Not only are we more exposed due to the ubiquitous use of surveillance technologies, but we aim to be exposed through social networks and blogs. That said, the right to be alone should be considered one of the core principles of democracy.
This is why I'm struggling with projects like this. As a sociologist and a researcher I can see the value of the project but I can also see the drawbacks. There are people who walk away from their lives without leaving behind any explanations to their families. I wouldn't do it, but I can see the point. It's terrible but it's a personal choice. After all, we should have the right to be let ALONE for whatever reason.
Interviewing returned missing people is indeed an added value for the police but it does bear ethical concerns. And I guess one of the appeal of the research is that returned missing people can now have 15 minutes of celebrity("Storying journeys in order to raise public awareness").Their story will go public (or semi-public) for the sake of the research. Is this correct? To be honest, I don't know.
