Personal data refers to any information related to an identifiable person.
This can include obvious identifiers like names and social security numbers, as well as less direct data like IP addresses, location data, or even factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that person.
Essentially, if the information can be used on its own or with other data to identify, contact, or locate a single person or to identify an individual in context, it’s considered personal data.
For example, when you shop online, the details you provide such as your name, address, and payment information, are personal data because they can be used to identify you.
Similarly, when you visit a website, the cookies that track your browsing habits are collecting personal data because they gather information on your preferences and activities online.
The significance of personal data has grown in the digital age, with laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States setting strict rules on how this data must be handled.
These regulations are designed to protect your privacy and ensure that companies collect, process, store, and share your personal data responsibly and with your consent.
Protecting personal data is essential not only for safeguarding individual privacy but also for maintaining trust between consumers and businesses.
When you provide your personal data to a company, you are trusting them with aspects of your identity. Misuse, unauthorized access, or breaches of this data can lead to identity theft, fraud, and a loss of privacy.
