When a person enters into an online transaction he is usually asked to give out personal information. Web sites could misuse information about a person, including giving or selling it to others who may misuse it. Unrelated third parties could have access to a person's information if it is stored with insufficient protection by the Web site. The existence of these threats demonstrates the need for a mechanism to protect users' privacy when browsing the Web. Security Some may argue that security could provide privacy protection because security is privacy.
Information is secure if the owner of information can control that information.
Information is private if the subject of information can control that information. Anonymous information has no subject, and thus ensures that information is private. In order to ensure privacy, there needs to be security. Such security tools can help protect privacy by preventing access to the information for non-authorized parties. But privacy requires more than that.