Which term describes information that can be used to distinguish an individual?

• A. Sensitive Information
• B. Public Data
• C. Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
• D. Restricted Data

Answer: (C)

The term that describes information that can be used to distinguish an individual is Personally Identifiable Information (PII). PII encompasses any data that can be used to identify, contact, or locate a specific person or to distinguish one individual from others. This includes names, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and other specific identifiers that allow for identification.

Understanding PII is crucial in the context of privacy and data protection because it dictates how organizations handle, store, and protect sensitive data in order to minimize risks associated with identity theft and other privacy breaches. Compliance with regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, often revolves around the proper management of PII, as mishandling this type of data can lead to significant legal and financial consequences.

While sensitive information refers to data that requires extra protection due to its nature (like health records or financial information), public data is information that is openly available and does not uniquely identify an individual. Restricted data typically pertains to specific access controls within organizations and may include PII but is not solely focused on the distinction of individuals. Thus, the emphasis on distinguishing individuals makes PII the most accurate term in this case.