Personally identifiable information (PII)

Information that, on its own or when combined with other data, can be used to identify an individual person in the real world.

PII can be divided into two categories: linked information and linkable information.
Linked information is any piece of personal information that can be used to identify an individual and includes, but is not limited to, the following:

  • Full name
  • Home address
  • Email address
  • Social security number
  • Passport number
  • Driver’s license number
  • Credit card numbers
  • Date of birth
  • Telephone number
  • Internet protocol (IP) address

Linkable information, on the other hand, is information that on its own may not be able to identify a person, but when combined with another piece of information could identify, trace, or locate a person.

PII is a term used in the US, with personal data being a predominantly European term with a few slight differences in meaning.

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