 First, while information-sharing has grown more common in recent decades—due, inter alia, to social media, big data, precision medicine, and increased infectious disease, new drug marketing and other health surveillance—individuals commonly keep some health concerns to themselves, whether out of personal preference, ethical reserve, etiquette, fear or shame (Allen 2016; Rosenberg 2000; Buss 1980; Westin 1967). When they share what they consider sensitive health concerns with others, most individuals employ culturally appropriate discretion and reserve (Nissenbaum 2009; Goffman 1959, 1963). Because of such privacy practices, families, friends, employers, employees, co-workers, doctors, researchers and governments may not acquire all the medical information they want, when they want it (Currie 2005; Etzioni 2000). At the same time, individuals who want medical privacy may feel they lack meaningful control over what happens to their personal information. The rise of social media, smart phones, wearable health monitoring devices, personal possession of electronic copies of medical records, consumer DNA testing and precision medicine represent diverse opportunities for intended and unintended disclosures of health-related images and information. The practical ability of individuals to control and protect their health privacy is partly a function of effective data security, their knowledge of contemporary medical data management practices and social-economic privileges (Bridges 2017; Marx 2007). Children, along with adults in active military service, judged mentally incompetent, dependent on government entitlement programs or incarcerated, lack substantial control over their medical privacy (Annas et al. 2013). In the context of medical emergencies, infections diseases and epidemics, competent adult civilians not in custody may be denied the choice to keep their medical information private. 