>It blows me away when I hear people say that information like that should be PRIVATE.
>How can it possibly hurt society to have that knowledge in the public domain?

Sometimes individuals want private information to be kept private, not just to protect themselves but also their families.

This is straying just a bit - but still relevant. Years ago USA Today learned that Arthur Ashe was HIV positive. Ashe and his inner circle begged and pleaded with USA today not to run the story, because Ashe wanted to protect his children. USA Today ran the story anyway (and to this day I won't buy/read USA Today). I ask you - do you think USA Today should have run the story?

Update: I went back and re-read the story and I forgot something - because Ashe was not successful in getting USA Today to change their minds on their plans, he went ahead and "went public" to essentially scoop USA Today. But it doesn't change the point, that USA Today acted disgracefully.