PII is primarily concerned with which type of information?

The focus of PII, or Personally Identifiable Information, is fundamentally about identifiable personal information. This refers to any data that can be used to identify an individual, such as their name, social security number, date of birth, or any other information that can uniquely associate a person with their identity. The significant aspect of PII is that it’s not just any information; it specifically deals with details that relate directly to an individual, enabling others to distinguish them from others.

While financial information, health-related information, and professional credentials are important types of data, they may not always constitute PII on their own unless they can be traced back to an identifiable person. For example, financial information like account numbers or credit card details becomes PII when associated with a specific individual. The critical aspect of PII lies in its potential to compromise someone's privacy or security if mishandled, which underscores the importance of protecting this type of information in various contexts, especially when dealing with data in social services and eligibility determination processes.