What is personally identifiable information (PII)?

Personally identifiable information (PII) refers to data that can be used to identify, locate, or track an individual. This includes any information that, when combined with other data, can lead to the identification of a specific person. Examples of PII include names, social security numbers, addresses, and phone numbers. Understanding PII is crucial, especially in the context of digital literacy and cybersecurity, as it relates to protecting individuals' privacy and ensuring that sensitive information is managed responsibly.

The other options do not accurately describe PII. While public information available in libraries may be accessible to anyone, it does not specifically distinguish or identify an individual. General demographic information, on the other hand, refers to broad data about groups or populations, lacking the specificity required to identify a single person. Lastly, information that is entirely anonymous does not fall under the category of PII because it cannot be used to identify someone at all.