Personal Data | IGCSE Information and Communication Technology Preparation - Year 11 PDF Download

Introduction

Personal and sensitive data includes details that can identify an individual, such as their name, address, date of birth, personal images, and medical history.

Personal data

• Personal Name: Refers to an individual's complete name, comprising both their first and last names.
• Address: Describes the physical location where an individual resides, including details such as house number, street name, city, and postal code.
• Date of Birth: Signifies the exact day, month, and year on which an individual was born.
• Gender: Represents an individual's identity concerning male, female, or other self-identifications.
• Personal Images: Depicts an image of an individual in their school uniform, aiding in identification and recognition.
• Payment Details: Encompasses information such as bank card details for purchases or banking credentials for online transactions.
• Passwords: Denotes a combination of characters—letters, numbers, and symbols—utilized to access the individual's accounts securely.

Sensitive data

• Medical record/history: Information pertaining to an individual's health, encompassing past illnesses, medical conditions, treatments received, and potentially genetic or DNA data relating to genetic characteristics.
• Political views: The individual's perspectives on political matters and how they perceive the handling of these issues by the current government, which may include affiliations with political parties.
• Ethnic/racial origin: An individual's ancestral ethnic or cultural background.
• Criminal activities: Any instances of past or present involvement in criminal offenses.
• Religion/philosophical beliefs: An individual's religious affiliations or philosophical convictions.
• Membership of a trade union: Participation in a collective organization comprising workers aimed at safeguarding and promoting the interests of employees within the workplace.
• Sexual orientation: The orientation determining an individual's attraction, whether towards the opposite gender, the same gender, both, or more than one gender.
• Biometric data: Physiological measurements utilized for unique identification purposes, such as fingerprints or facial features.

Why should personal data be protected?

• Inappropriate Disclosure of Personal Data: Improper sharing of personal data can lead to severe consequences such as breaches in privacy, identity theft, or information misuse.
• Personal Data Sold to Third Parties: When personal data is sold to third parties, it can be utilized for various purposes without the individual's consent.
• Risks of Extortion Due to Personal Data: Individuals may be subjected to blackmail or ransom demands based on the personal information gathered about them.
• Information Misuse for Committing Crimes: Data collected could be exploited to carry out physical crimes, posing a serious threat to individuals and society.

How to avoid data being inappropriately disclosed?

• Personal data should always be kept confidential and safeguarded using privacy settings or robust passwords on relevant websites.
• Access to personal data must be restricted to authorized individuals only.
• Before sharing any information online, it's crucial to think about what details could be extracted from the content or images shared.
• When interacting with websites, it's essential to review their policies on collecting, storing, and utilizing personal data.
• Access websites involving personal data only through secure, encrypted connections.