What does Personally Identifiable Information refer to?

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) refers specifically to data that can be used to identify an individual uniquely. This includes information such as names, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and biometric records. The defining characteristic of PII is that it can be linked directly to a specific person, thus posing potential risks regarding privacy and security if mishandled.

Understanding PII is crucial in various fields, particularly in data management and compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA, which emphasize the protection of such sensitive information. Other choices, such as statistical data collected from surveys or general demographic information, do not typically contain direct identifiers of individuals, which is why they do not fit the definition of PII. PII is distinct because it has direct implications for an individual's personal privacy rights and requires stringent handling protocols to protect it from breaches or misuse.