In　consumer　communications,　entities,　i.e.,　users,　hand-held　devices,　etc.,　that　connect　to　or　interact　with　each　other　may　know　little　about　each　other　or　without　any　prior　knowledge.　Therefore,　in　many　applications,　before　a　serious　interaction　begins,　certain　level　of　trust　must　be　established　between　the　interacting　entities,　which　may　require　that　some　information　that　may　contain　privacy　about　the　entities　be　exchanged　between　the　entities.　Thus,　privacy　protection　and　trust　establishment　are　inter-related　issues　that　should　be　properly　balanced　to　ensure　both　smooth　communication　and　proper　privacy　protection.　In　this　paper,　we　focus　on　trust　based　privacy　protection　in　consumer　communications　by　elaborating　on　three　key　issues:　(1)　quantification　of　privacy,　(2)　characterization　of　the　relationship　between　privacy　and　trust,　and　(3)　influence　of　trust　on　privacy　protection.　With　trust　based　privacy　protection,　prior　to　an　interaction,　entities　can　set　their　privacy　preferences　conveniently　and,　during　the　interaction,　they　can　choose　their　policies　freely　such　as　specifying　whether　privacy　protection　takes　a　higher　priority　than　trust　establishment,　or　vice　versa.　Our　analysis　and　simulation　experiment　show　that　through　using　proper　privacy　protection　patterns,　trust　based　privacy　protection　can　satisfy　diverse　privacy　protection　requirements　in　consumer　communications.