When it comes to protecting your personal identity, you can never be too careful. With the evolution of digital technology, there are so many new ways for your private data and information to fall into the wrong hands. It may come as a surprise that there are a few key differences between personally identifiable information (PII) and personal information, even though their names are very similar. When it comes to a business or person who has access to our information, it can make a huge difference in what type of information they have.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
PII is a way to identify a particular person or individual. Most data breaches are a result of PII being compromised or stolen. It’s important to do everything you can to protect your PII to avoid identity theft and the stress of having someone else mimicking you online and using your information without your knowledge. If your PII has been compromised, it can be sold on the dark web to advertisers and other unknown sources. Once your information has been exploited, there isn’t anything you can do to get it back, so it’s important to take action before that happens.
The most common pieces of personally identifiable information include:
- Social Security Number
- Mailing Address
- Email Address
- Phone Numbers
- IP Address
- Login IDs
Although there will be times you need to provide your PII to an individual or business, it’s important to be extra cautious and take the time to be aware anytime a company asks for any personally identifiable information and how they plan to use it. So, you can make sure that you’re not sharing private data with the wrong people and can take action to protect yourself if needed.
Personal Information
The general data protection regulation (GDPR) defines personal information as data that can directly or indirectly identify a person. Some personal information can be considered PII and makes it possible to identify a specific person. However, personal information is generally much broader and could be referred to as a larger group of people, making it hard to identify a specific person without additional information.
A few common examples of personal information include:
- Age
- Religion
- Economic Status
- Race
Although it’s not as severe as someone accessing your PII, gaining access to personal information makes it easier for someone to identify you.
Now that you have a better idea of the difference between Personally Identifiable Information and personal information, you have the knowledge to protect your identity. Always take the time to second guess when you’re asked to give out any information that could give away your identity.
Alerts.com provides a simple solution to help you take back control of your privacy and protect your PII and personal information that could lead to someone learning more about you. We provide all the tools necessary to help you identify what companies have access to your information, make sure you are notified when it’s being sold or traded, and give you the opportunity to be removed or deleted from their list at any time. As your personal privacy advocates, we’re here to make sure that you can exercise your right to stay informed and protect your personal data at all times.
Sign up for our notification service today to receive instant alerts when a new business gains access to your information and request to opt-out or be deleted from a list at any time.