Difference Between Privacy and Confidentiality

Everyone wants their own space in life because we can't tell everyone everything about ourselves. Nobody really wants to discuss their personal life. So, having some privacy is something everyone needs. Privacy means being free from others interfering in your life. Confidentiality, on the other hand, is when important information is kept secret between two people until the owner of that information says it's okay to share it.

In simple terms, privacy means being left alone by others, while confidentiality is about keeping something secret. It can be challenging to tell them apart because they are so similar. In this article, we've gathered the key differences between privacy and confidentiality for you to understand better.

Definition of Privacy

Privacy means being free from public interruption and intrusion. The word comes from "private," which suggests limiting the role of the public. Privacy is about being separate from public attention and observation. It's everyone's right to keep their matters to themselves because everyone has their personal life. Individuals can set boundaries on who can access their information and how it's used by others.

Moreover, humans have a natural inclination to conceal certain facts about themselves, as revealing them could potentially be used against them by others.

Privacy is the choice of an individual who prefers not to share their matters with others. For instance, it's natural for someone to seek privacy when they want to take a bath, change clothes, or have a personal conversation, as they prefer not to have anyone interfere in these private moments.

Here's a good example of internet privacy: On social networking sites, you can adjust your privacy settings to control who can access your personal information, such as your profile picture, photos, and other content.

Definition of Confidentiality

Confidentiality means that information is meant to be kept secret or private. The word comes from "confidence," which implies trust. So, confidentiality involves entrusting someone with information, expecting that they will keep it secret from unauthorized individuals until it's agreed upon to reveal it.

In fields like medicine, law, and others, it's standard practice for information shared between a client and their lawyer or a doctor and their patient to remain confidential and not be disclosed to third parties. Similarly, in the military, strict rules ensure that only authorized officers can access confidential information. This helps prevent sensitive information from becoming public knowledge.

Here's an easy way to understand confidentiality: Think of your bank details, like your account number, ATM PIN, or the username and password for your social networking or email account. These are all examples of information that you wouldn't want to share with just anyone. Keeping them confidential means only sharing them with trusted individuals and not letting unauthorized people access them.

Key Differences Between Privacy and Confidentiality

The main distinctions between confidentiality and privacy are as follows:

1. Privacy is when a person is free from public interference, while confidentiality is when information is kept secret and not accessible to anyone else.
2. Privacy pertains to an individual, whereas confidentiality relates to information.
3. Privacy limits public access to personal details about a person, while confidentiality safeguards information from unauthorized individuals.
4. In privacy, everyone is prohibited from interfering in a person's matters. In contrast, in confidentiality, only specified and trustworthy individuals are permitted to access the information.
5. Privacy is voluntary; it's a choice made by an individual. On the other hand, confidentiality is compulsory in fiduciary relationships, where the nature of the relationship between parties requires it.
6. Privacy is a fundamental right, whereas confidentiality is an agreement or obligation.

Difference Between Privacy and Confidentiality

Conclusion

Privacy and confidentiality are often compared. Privacy is about personal matters, limited to oneself, while confidentiality is more about professional matters, restricted to trusted individuals. Although they are similar, confidentiality is a more refined concept compared to privacy.