Knowledge MaxxingAnonymisation
Anonymisation is processing data so it can no longer be linked back to a specific individual, even by combining it with other available information.
Prerequisite: Personal data
What matters
True anonymisation is genuinely difficult to achieve; data that looks anonymous can sometimes still be re-identified by cross-referencing it with other public datasets.
Example
Publishing aggregate statistics about a large group, with no individual-level records included at all, is closer to true anonymisation than simply removing names from individual records.
Common misconception
Removing a name and other obvious identifiers from a record does not guarantee true anonymisation; combining remaining details with other data can sometimes still re-identify a person.
Recall question
Why can data with names removed still sometimes be re-identified?