Privacy, cybersecurity, encryption and anonymity are all different concepts that are often used interchangeably. Understanding the difference between these terms are crucial to understanding how they work together to protect your identity online.
What is Privacy?
The right to privacy is a fundamental human right protected by the constitutions of most democratic countries in the world. It is sometimes called “privacy” and sometimes “personal autonomy”, and encompasses one’s physical, psychological, and intellectual integrity. It is connected to freedom of thought, religion, opinion, expression and movement. Privacy invokes many philosophical debates. Privacy is also a highly contested concept, as people have different ideas about what it means for an individual to be isolated from others. The assumption that privacy exists does not always reflect the reality of what people do with their own private information. They may share personal information in ways that are not intended to be kept private.
Privacy is the ability to seclude any information about themselves from access or scrutiny by other parties. This way, they are able to express themselves selectively and prevent others from accessing their information. Unfortunately, governments and marketing companies are always surveying the general population for various reasons, among which are security, marketing research, or even malicious intentions. Privacy tools help us to use internet resources without being surveyed or having our personal space intruded by other parties.
What is Cybersecurity?
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines cybersecurity as “the practice or practice of protecting computers, computer systems, networks, or information from cyber threats through system hardening, use of appropriate technical controls, and avoiding default configurations.” The term can also be used synonymously with information security. Cybersecurity can be defined as the protection of computers and networks from cyberattacks, which includes both security online and internet security. Cybersecurity has become an important issue for businesses, organizations, and governments recently as it has been estimated that about 40% of all data breaches are caused by cybersecurity incidents.
What is Encryption?
Encryption is the technique of translating data from one form to another so that only people with the right decryption key can access and understand the data. Encryption prevents criminals from tapping and hacking data on transit for malicious reasons. Encryption is usually part of privacy. On the other hand, online security involves the use of tools to prevent issues such as intrusion of privacy, access and theft of personal and company data, phishing, and attacks on the online tools. These privacy tools help you enhance your anonymity when conducting activities online.
What is Anonymity?
Anonymity on the internet is a state of being unknown or unidentified on the internet. It is a state that allows people to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings without fear of being tracked or identified. Anonymity online is often associated with the idea of “freedom of speech” – the ability to say what you want without fear of retribution.
Anonymity is the situation where the identity of the person conducting the activity is unknown. It is part of privacy in that other parties cannot pin a name on the doer of the activities in question. For example, when you are browsing anonymously, the tracking companies cannot tell who is visiting their website. Therefore, they cannot follow up with marketing or any offers on account of your online behaviour.
Anonymity on the internet is a state of being unknown or unidentified on the internet. It is a state that allows people to share their thoughts, ideas and feelings without fear of being tracked or identified. It is often associated with the idea of “freedom of speech – the ability to say what you want without fear of retribution”.