Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
What does personally identifiable information (PII) mean?
Personally identifiable information (PII) refers to any data that can be used to identify a specific individual, either on its own or when combined with other information. This includes direct identifiers such as names and Social Security numbers, as well as indirect identifiers like IP addresses or device IDs when linked to a person.
How does personally identifiable information (PII) work?
PII can be collected through websites, apps, forms, cookies, and tracking tools. It is processed for various purposes such as authentication, marketing, analytics, or customer support. Regulations often require businesses to safeguard PII, limit its use, and allow individuals to exercise control over their data, such as requesting access or deletion.
PII is the foundation of most privacy laws worldwide. Protecting it helps prevent identity theft, fraud, and misuse of personal data. Businesses that handle PII must follow data protection rules like GDPR, CCPA, or HIPAA, depending on where they operate and the nature of the data they collect.
FAQs about PII
Common examples include full names, email addresses, phone numbers, biometric data, financial account details, and IP addresses.
Yes, in many jurisdictions, IP addresses are considered PII, especially when they can be linked to a person or user profile.
By using encryption, access controls, secure storage, and privacy policies that comply with relevant laws.
Only with proper legal basis such as user consent or a contractual need, and it must be disclosed in the privacy notice.
It can face penalties, lawsuits, reputational harm, and be required to notify regulators and affected individuals.