Three of the most important concepts to understand online are: privacy, anonymity, and security. But while most treat them as synonyms for having a safe digital presence, they don’t mean the same thing. And depending on your online needs, you should prioritize one over the other.
While the three often overlap, the only way to determine which one you need the most in a particular scenario is to understand what they actually mean.
Why You Need to Know the Difference
You probably use technology in your day-to-day life substantially more than the average person 10 or 15 years ago. With that, comes the need to ensure everything you do online is secure. But what about privacy and anonymity?
Over the last few years, the words privacy, security, and anonymity became buzzwords that websites, apps, and tech companies in general use in promoting their products and services to gain people’s trust.
Some of them are honest and transparent in what they offer. Others prey on people’s cyber literacy and their inability to differentiate the meanings. That way, companies are safe from accusations of false advertisements while still giving users a false sense of trust.
You need to understand what it means when software or an app says that they secure your data or pride themselves on offering complete privacy or anonymity. This allows you to pick the right option for your needs without falling prey to the halo effect of similar words.
What Does Privacy Mean?
Privacy is the ability to keep certain data and information about yourself exclusive to you and control who and what has access to it.
Think of privacy as owning a smartphone—unencrypted and without a password. Everyone around you knows who the phone belongs to, but they don’t know what’s on it. If someone goes through your phone without permission, it’s an invasion of privacy, even if they don't use it to hurt or blackmail you.
When it comes to online privacy, it’s a matter of how much personal information you can keep to yourself when browsing the internet or using software on any of your devices.
Invasion of privacy, in itself, doesn’t cause direct harm to you as an individual. But in 1948, the United Nations declared privacy a human right, making some types of privacy invasions illegal in some countries.
When to Prioritize Privacy
Make privacy your priority when using apps or services that have access to your personal information such as full name, email address, phone number, location, etc.
You should optimize your experience for privacy when using social media platforms and apps, messaging and emailing services, and browsers.
What Does Anonymity Mean?
To be anonymous is to hide or conceal your identity, but not your actions. You can be anonymous in the physical world by covering your face and fingerprints. In the digital world, you can be anonymous by preventing online entities from collecting or storing data that could be used to identify you.
Anonymity is important for freedom of speech and particularly for whistleblowers. That's especially true in areas of the world where having certain viewpoints and opinions could endanger your safety or put your career and future at risk.
Anonymity also often overlaps with privacy, allowing you to browse the internet without worrying about tracking logs. These record your every move and use collected information to build a profile about you or include you in studies and statistics you didn’t consent to.
When to Prioritize Anonymity
Online anonymity is a case-by-case need. Generally, you’d want to be anonymous anytime you’re doing something you wouldn't want to be traced back to you or your online personas.
It’s important when discussing sensitive topics; whether it’s asking for advice on online forums, expressing fringe political views, or exposing a public person or commercial entity's misconduct.
What Does Security Mean?
Security is a set of precautions and measures for protection against potential harm to your person and reputation, and files directly or indirectly from malicious parties. You can practice online and data security by using antivirus software, encrypting important files, and using passwords to secure accounts and devices.
We also advise using Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on services where possible.
Security incidents can cause direct harm to their victims. This could be a data breach that compromises passwords and other critical information, or a virus that damages your files and hardware—by turning off your device’s cooling fan, for example.
It’s natural to view security as the most important of the three. After all, compared to the other two, security is a need rather than a right or a preference. But more often than not, ensuring user security is used as an excuse to undermine rights to privacy and anonymity.
When to Prioritize Security
You need security to protect any type of information that others could use against you, such as private images and financial information. Look for services with the utmost security when dealing with password managers, antivirus, and financial services.
What Separates Security, Anonymity, and Privacy?
While privacy, anonymity, and security all mean different things, it’s increasingly difficult to separate them online.
Sometimes, having one could compromise the other, like how antivirus software keeps your files secure but doesn’t always keeps them private. Other times, they work in tandem. For example, using anonymous social media accounts with fake credentials to protect your privacy.
While you should prioritize one over the other in certain situations, the trick is finding the right balance between the three, where you have a safe and free online experience without sacrificing convenience. This depends on understanding implications your online actions have on your internet experience and real life.
Learning Is a Continuous Process
The basic definitions of privacy, anonymity, and security won't change anytime soon. But how they're interpreted by the majority would naturally alter the fine details of what they mean.
It’s important to stay on top of the latest terminology tech companies use in promoting products and services. That way, you avoid falling victim to a misunderstanding and losing a valuable facet of your online experience.