Collected data

All organisations collect data, Privacy Label distinguishes four types of data, and five ways of collecting it.

Organisations collect personal data. In Privacy Label we distinguish four different sorts of data: 
- Aggregate data
- Personal data
- Sensitive data 
- Special categories of personal data

In our label we also distinguish different ways organisations could collect your personal data.
- Received from you
- Received from others
- Observed
- Created
- Purchased

Find out more about personal data and its collection by organisations below.

AGGREGATED DATA

Aggregated data is generalised or pseudonymised data which doesn’t connect directly to you but does describe you in a manner. For instance, the first two digits of your area code, the general level of education within your company or a chart of spending patterns in your supermarket.

Personal data is usually aggregated in order to protect your privacy. The first to digits of your area code are less likely to invade your privacy than your whole address. However, by combining different sorts of aggregated personal information, someone might still identify you.

EXAMPLES

PSEUDONYMISED MEDICINE USAGE OF PATIENTS

A table with information on when patients took certain medicine, however the patient's name is changed to a random number.
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CRIME STATISTICS PER NEIGHBOURHOOD

A map which tells you where most crimes are committed and by what group of people.

PERSONAL DATA

In the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) personal data is described as any information, relating or related to, an identified or identifiable natural person.

But, what does that mean?
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Any information: not only written down or digital, but anything giving you information...
Relating or related to: which tells you something about someone...
An identified or identifiable: someone who can be pointed out in any way...
Natural person: a living human being.
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In conclusion: Personal data is all information that makes you, you.

In Privacy Label we call all non-sensitive information about you (normal) personal data. Non-sensitive personal data is data which is not likely to harm or embarrass you when it is out in the open. For instance, information about who you are, where you live, your (online) behaviour or what you like and don’t like.  

EXAMPLES

WHO YOU ARE

For instance, your name, information about where you live, where you work or your favourite colour.

THINGS YOU LIKE

Think of: your hobbies, who your friends are, which websites you like to visit or if you like to be in nature or in a more urban area.

SENSITIVE PERSONAL DATA

Some personal data is more sensitive than others. Sensitive data could lead to stigmatisation or exclusion of the data subject.
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Examples of sensitive data:

  • Usernames, passwords and other login details
  • Data concerning a financial or economic situation
  • Relationship problems, school performance of children
  • Data which can be used for (identity) fraud

EXAMPLES

YOUR INCOME

You mightnot want others to know if you have a high or low income, since that might lead to embarrassing situations.

RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS

You might not want to air you dirty laundry on the street and want others to know you have relationship problems.

SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF PERSONAL DATA

Special categories of personal data have a separate status within the GDPR. There are strict rules attached to processing these kinds of personal data. A hack or a data breach of this data can pose a major risk to the persons involved. This is why ,in principle, there is a general prohibition on the processing of these data.The data may only be processed if there is a specific exception in the law. One of these exceptions is when someone has given his or her explicit consent.

The GDPR specifies a strict list of what are special categories of personal data.


These special categories of personal data are:

Racial or ethnic origin

Political opinions

Religious or philosophical beliefs

Trade union membership

Genetic data

Biometric data

Medical data

Data concerning someone’s sex life or sexual orientation

And criminal records

EXAMPLES

YOUR FINGERPRINT

Maybe you can unlock your smart phone with your fingerprint. Your fingerprint is unique is a form of biometric personal data.

X-RAYSCAN OF YOUR BROKEN ARM

An x-ray scan tells something about your health and is therefore a form of medical personal data.