Maintaining privacy online primarily helps to:

• A. Protect against identity theft, stalking, scams, and misuse of information.
• B. Increase data collection by advertisers.
• C. Decrease online security.
• D. Guarantee absolute privacy.

Answer: (A)

Maintaining privacy online is about controlling who sees your personal information and how it’s used. When you prioritize privacy—using strong, unique passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, adjusting privacy settings, and being careful about what you share—you reduce the chances of identity theft, stalking, scams, and misuse of your information. This is why protection against these harms best fits the goal of online privacy. It isn’t about increasing data collection by advertisers, nor does privacy mean you lose online security; it’s about strengthening protection by limiting exposure. It also doesn’t guarantee absolute privacy, since some risks come from factors outside your control, but good privacy practices still significantly reduce those risks.