Privacy-enhancing technologies

Privacy-enhancing technologies (PET) are the methods of protecting data in accordance with the law. PET allow online users to protect the privacy of their personally identifiable information (PII) provided to and handled by services or applications. PET uses techniques to minimize possession of personal data without losing the functionality of an information system.The objective of PETs is to protect personal data and ensure the users of technology that their information is confidential and management of data protection is a priority to the organizations who withhold responsibility for any PII - allowing users to take one or more of the following actions related to their personal data sent to and used by, online service providers, merchants or other users.Privacy-enhancing Technologies can be distinguished based on their assumption Examples of existing privacy enhancing technologies are:Examples of privacy enhancing technologies that are being researched or developed include limited disclosure technology, anonymous credentials such as online car rental, negotiation and enforcement of data handling conditions, and data transaction log. Limited disclosure technology provides a way of protecting individuals' privacy by allowing them to share only enough personal information with service providers to complete an interaction or transaction. This technology is also designed to limit tracking and correlation of users’ interactions with these third parties. Limited disclosure uses cryptographic techniques and allows users to retrieve data that is vetted by a provider, to transmit that data to a relying party, and have these relying parties trust the authenticity and integrity of the data. Anonymous credentials are asserted properties or rights of the credential holder that don't reveal the true identity of the holder; the only information revealed is what the holder of the credential is willing to disclose. The assertion can be issued by the user himself/herself, by the provider of the online service or by a third party (another service provider, a government agency, etc.). For example:PETs in general: