Explore the world of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) – what it is, its legal definition, the importance of safeguarding it, regulatory frameworks, best practices, and the consequences of identity theft. Learn how your business can protect your customers' data.
The legal definition of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is that it is any data that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual. This includes information such as:
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PII can also include biometric information to identify a person, such as fingerprints and facial scans, as well as any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual.
PII can be collected in a variety of ways, both online and offline. For example, you may provide PII when you fill out a form online, create an account on a website, or make a purchase. PII can also be collected through social media, public records, and other sources.
PII is important because it can be used to protect your personal data. When businesses and organizations collect PII, they are legally obligated to protect it from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. This helps to ensure that your personal information is safe and secure.
This information can be used for a variety of purposes, including:
However, PII can also be misused by criminals and other malicious actors. For example, PII can be used to steal someone's identity, commit fraud, or open fraudulent accounts in someone's name.
PII is characterized by the following:
PII is information that can be used to identify a specific person. This includes information such as name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, and driver's license number. Even information that is not unique on its own, such as a name and address, can be considered PII if it can be used to identify a specific person when combined with other information.
PII is considered to be any information that can be used to identify a specific person, either on its own or in conjunction with other information. This means that even information that is not traditionally considered to be PII, such as a zip code or IP address, can be considered PII if it can be used to identify a specific person when combined with other information. For example, if a company has your name and date of birth, but not your Social Security number, they may still be able to identify you.
PII can be further classified into sensitive PII and non-sensitive PII. Sensitive PII is information that is more likely to be used for identity theft or other crimes. This sensitive data includes information such as Social Security number, credit card number, and medical information. Non-sensitive PII is information that is less likely to be used for identity theft or other crimes. This includes information such as name, address, and phone number.
Examples of sensitive information include:
Examples of non-sensitive PII include:
No, not all personal data is considered PII. PII is a subset of personal data that is specifically identifiable to a particular individual. Personal data, on the other hand, is any information that relates to a living individual.
For example, your name is personal data, but it is not PII on its own, because there are many people with the same name. However, if you combine your name with other information, such as your Social Security number, date of birth, and address, then that information becomes PII, because it can be used to uniquely identify you.
Other examples of PII include:
It is important to note that the definition of PII may vary depending on the context in which it is being used. For example, the definition of PII under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is slightly different from the definition of PII under the United States Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
PII is regulated by a number of laws and regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These laws require businesses to protect PII and to give individuals control over their personal data.
The GDPR is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). It also addresses the transfer of personal data outside the EU and EEA areas. The GDPR aims primarily to give control back to citizens and residents over their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by unifying the regulation within the EU. It does this by replacing the data protection directive (Directive 95/46/EC) of 1995. The regulation has been in effect since May 25, 2018.
In addition to the GDPR, there are a number of other laws and regulations that protect PII. For example, in the United States, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) protects the confidentiality and accuracy of consumer credit reports.
Here are some of the key requirements of regulatory frameworks for PII:
Businesses that fail to comply with regulatory frameworks for PII may face fines and other penalties.
There are a number of things that businesses and individuals can do to safeguard PII:
Individuals can also take steps to protect their PII, such as:
A data breach is an unauthorized access to computer systems or electronic data.
Data breaches are a major threat to PII. When a data breach occurs, hackers can gain access to PII and use it for identity theft or other crimes.
Data breaches can occur for a variety of reasons, such as:
There are a number of things that businesses can do to protect their data from breaches, such as:
Identity theft can have a number of negative consequences for victims, including:
Here are some additional tips for businesses:
By following these tips, businesses can help to protect their customers' PII and reduce the risk of data breaches and identity theft.
