Why is online privacy important? This complex question is one that has been haunting businesses and individuals alike since the dawn of the Internet. The World Wide Web—and the technologies that drive it—has broken down cultural, ideological, and geographical barriers but this ‘closeness’ has come at a cost. The commercial enterprises that have shouldered a large portion of the development costs of the Internet are looking for a reward for their efforts: information. The Internet has significantly reduced the costs of obtaining information about individuals, resulting in a widespread perception by consumers that their privacy is being eroded.