PII (Personally Identifiable Information)

The Short Answer

PII, or personally identifiable information, is any data that can identify a specific individual, such as a name, email address, phone number, physical address, or government ID number. Handling PII responsibly, including honoring opt-out requests and complying with regulations like CCPA, is a baseline requirement for any consumer data platform.

How It Works

PII includes any field that, alone or combined with other fields, can identify a specific person: a full name, an email, a phone number, a physical address, or a government ID number. Behavioral data without an attached identifier is generally not PII on its own.

Why It Matters

Regulations like the CCPA give consumers rights over their PII, including the right to know what is collected and to opt out of its sale. Any platform handling consumer data has to treat PII as a compliance-critical category, not just a technical field.