Welcome! Today's subject is Encapsulation, a cornerstone of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). Encapsulation bundles data and the operations that we perform on them into one unit, namely, an object. It guards data against unwanted alterations, ensuring the creation of robust and maintainable software.

Prepare yourself for an exciting journey as we delve into how encapsulation works in Python and explore the vital role it plays in data privacy.

Starting with the basics, Encapsulation is similar to packing data and the methods that modify this data into a single compartment known as a class. It safeguards the data in an object from external interference.

To illustrate, consider a Python class representing a bank account. Without encapsulation, the account balance could be directly altered. With encapsulation, however, the balance can only change through specified methods, like depositing or withdrawing.

Encapsulation restricts direct access to an object's data and prevents unwanted data alteration. This principle is comparable to window blinds, allowing you to look out while preventing others from peeping in.

In Python, encapsulation pertains to private and public attributes, which are integral to data privacy. Private attributes, prefixed with two underscores __, warrant caution while being manipulated.

To illustrate, let's consider a Python class named Person, which includes a private attribute .