A mode-selectable backlight and privacy display employ directional scattering features to provide emitted light. The mode-selectable backlight includes a light guide, a first directional scattering feature to provide broad-angle emitted light from guided light having a first propagation direction within the light guide during a public mode, and a second directional scattering feature to provide directional emitted light from guided light having a second propagation direction within the light guide during a privacy mode. The directional emitted light the provided during the privacy mode is directed into a viewbox. The mode-selectable privacy display further includes light sources configured to provide the guided light having the first and second propagation directions along with an array of light valves configured to modulate the broad-angle emitted light as a public image and the directional emitted light as a private image visible within the viewbox.