As the this post owner of a business as a business owner, you must deal with the personal details of your employees and customers. By law, you are obliged to safeguard this data and ensure that it is used in a responsible manner. It’s not always easy to determine what constitutes personal data.

It is important to note that the definition of personal data differs according to the country and the jurisdiction. It generally refers to any information that identifies an individual. This includes data such as the name of the individual, email address, or phone number, but also any other information that could be linked to an individual and identify them like their birth date or mother’s maiden name. biometric information including passport and visa details, credit card information, and other sensitive information about employment (e.g. performance ratings and discipline records).

The information must also be identifiable by other people. If it is difficult for anyone to recognize the information, it is not considered personal. This is called the “practicability test”.

The final factor in determining whether something is personal is that it has to be in the name of a living, identifiable person. This does not apply to details that are related to business, such as invoices, orders or other documents that are used for business.

Sensitive personal information can be extremely damaging if lost, stolen or otherwise disclosed without authorization. It is crucial to educate employees on the importance of safeguarding sensitive PII. It is also essential to make sure to protect the information when it is not being used, such as shutting down unattended computer systems and destruction of paper documents. It is also essential to periodically review the PII stored in your system and limit access to those with an obligation to do so.