Lesson 3 of 6 · 8 min
Personal information needs care
What counts as personal information, which kinds need extra protection, and who it really belongs to.
It is more than a name
Personal information is anything that identifies a person or could be linked back to them. Names, email addresses and phone numbers count, but so do ID numbers, birth dates, photos, case notes and what someone types into an app.
It also counts when the name is missing. If the remaining details are enough for someone to work out who it is, such as the only volunteer in the program who moved here in March and has twins, it is still identifying.
Some kinds need extra protection
Many laws and contracts treat these categories as sensitive, because exposure can cause real harm.
- Student records: grades, attendance, discipline, special education plans
- Health information, including mental health and disability
- Money: income, benefits such as SNAP or Medicaid, debts, account numbers
- Housing status, immigration status and household details
- Government ID numbers, passwords and anything that unlocks an account
It is not yours, even when you hold it
When a school, a nonprofit or a company holds personal information, it holds it on behalf of the person, for a specific job. Using it for anything else, even something that seems helpful, is usually not allowed and erodes the trust people placed in you.
Children and people in hard situations deserve the most care. A student cannot choose which tools their school uses, and a family applying for help often has no real choice about what to share.
Lesson quiz
Get 3 of 4 right to pass.