Does Islam protect the right to privacy?

No spying

The Quran is direct about prying into other people's lives:

Scholars applied this to digging for someone's secrets, reading their messages, or tracking what they do in private. The same verse goes on to forbid backbiting, so exposing what you find is a second sin on top of the first. See Is it backbiting to complain about someone online?

Your home is protected

The Quran tells believers not to enter houses other than their own until they have asked permission and greeted the people inside (Quran 24:27). The Prophet ﷺ taught that you ask permission up to three times, and if you get no answer, you leave (Sahih al-Bukhari 6245). He explained that asking permission exists "because of the eyes", so that people aren't seen in a state they don't want (Sahih al-Bukhari 6241). He took peeping so seriously that he said if someone looks into your house without permission and you throw a pebble that injures his eye, there is no blame on you (Sahih al-Bukhari 6902).

Covering other people's faults

The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever covers a Muslim's fault, Allah will cover his faults on the Day of Resurrection (Sahih al-Bukhari 2442). Islam doesn't want people hunting for each other's mistakes. Private sins are between the person and Allah, unless someone else is being harmed.

Privacy in modern life

• Phones and accounts: reading a spouse's, friend's or roommate's messages without permission goes against these teachings.
• Data and Wi-Fi: using what belongs to others without consent is also a matter of rights. See Is it haram to use my neighbor's Wi-Fi without asking?
• Exceptions: parents supervising young children, or reporting real danger to the authorities, are about protection, not curiosity.
• Speech: sharing screenshots of private chats to shame someone crosses the line. See What does Islam say about freedom of speech?