What is PII anonymization?
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PII anonymization refers to techniques used to de-identify personally identifiable information (PII) in datasets, allowing the data to be used without compromising individual privacy.
, on the , described it as methods such as removing names, generalizing ages into ranges, and sharing only partial zip codes. This way, sensitive data like medical records can be anonymized to protect privacy while still being useful to researchers 1.
Further, Kearns highlights a critical limitation: combining anonymized data sets with other data sources can lead to reidentification. Instances like the Netflix Prize showed that merging anonymized movie ratings with other available data could reveal individuals' identities 2.
Overall, PII anonymization aims to balance data utility and privacy, though its effectiveness can be undermined by the ability to cross-reference with other information sources.
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