Biography: Aristotle laid the groundwork for the modern world’s understanding of privacy by defining the difference between public and private space in ancient philosophical discussions. The concept of privacy has since evolved, with great thinkers and literary figures offering their perspectives throughout the centuries. Technological advancements, such as the invention of the compact camera, also informed the public’s evolving understanding of privacy. In terms of legislation, the enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation in 2018 started a new era of privacy reform across the globe, with more countries developing their laws to protect the private data of citizens. Since the GDPR, 128 countries have enacted their own privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act in the United States. Blockchain-based technologies have likewise transformed the modern world’s understanding of privacy. With transparency being one of the hallmarks of cryptocurrency, blockchain networks technically allow anyone to access the complete account of transactions on them. Despite most networks being pseudonymous and allowing users to mask their identities, a gap in user privacy became apparent as cryptocurrency adoption rose. This led to the emergence of technologies like zero-knowledge proofs and zero-knowledge SNARKs, allowing coins to protect user privacy on blockchains. Despite the privacy coins coming in to fill the void, for privacy coins, the balance between transparency and privacy on blockchains remains a hot debate in cryptocurrency.