Where is Your Digital Data Privacy Protection?
The line between when people believe that their privacy is protected and when in fact it is NOT protected is stirring public debate. The false sense of personal data security offered by de-identification is confusing many digital information consumers over when their sensitive or personal information may be up for grabs. Claims that de-identification can protect privacy often do not address the issue of re-identification the power to connect identity to data on individuals. Sensitive medical records, search engine activity, or other records that may not contain a name but can be used to identity the data subject are raising questions about privacy.
When 2+2 Equals a Privacy Question, Natasha Singer, New York Times, October 17, 2009
