What is personal data? Is personal data - private data?

Personal data? Is that the same as private data?

The answer is "yes!"

Personal data is any information in structured, unstructured, verbal, written, paper-form or electronic, video, photographic format. Personal data is your demographic information, personal identifiers, financial, education, health data, genetic information, personal histrionics, social media, purchase history, utilization trends, care patterns, legal or criminal or familial data, etc.

Any data that is documented, collected, obtained, stored, transferred or used from information about you - is personal data and therefore it can be considered private data.

Fair Information Practices (FIPS) - was outlined by the Federal Government to establish guidelines for personal data in 1973. They still stand as the most recognized set of criteria for the management of consumer data in the electronic marketplace.

The Code of Fair Information Practices (1973) outlines five principles that must be present in order for consumers’ information to be adequately managed: (a) no personal data kept on secret record keeping systems, (b) there must be a way for consumers to know what information is recorded and how it is used, (c) secondary uses of information require consumer consent, (d) consumers must be able to amend incorrect information, and (e) misuses of the information must be eliminated.

So, when you consider whether personal data is private consider what type of data and how it is managed and- think of FIPS. The Code of Fair Information Practices provide context for what is meaningful to consumers and expand the notion of the types of access and controls considered when defining the concept of granular consent preferences for private data.

For example, most consumers don't want data about them kept on government registries that are secret. FIPS says this is a "no-no". Likewise, consumers don't want untrue or inaccurate information to be kept on them, and they want the right to make changes or corrections to that information. FIPS says consumers must be able to amend incorrect information. There are of course many examples - FIPS sets the standard for the management of personal data - something that individuals do care about.

FIPS recognizes that personal data in an electronic, distributed or network of networks ecosystem scatters an individuals information across the community - and in these networked environments consumers desire and have rights to certain protections for control, access and accurate data.

Lisa Moon (2017) Dissertation Research. University of Minnesota. Health Data Sharing Preferences of Consumers.