Non-personally identifiable information (Non-PII)

Non-personally identifiable information (non-PII) is a piece of data that cannot be used on its own to trace or identify a person. This type of information is typically collected and used for various purposes such as analytics, research, or advertising targeting without revealing the individuals’ identity.

Examples of non-PII include, but are not limited to:

  • Aggregated statistics on the use of product / service
  • Partially or fully masked IP addresses
  • Types of devices (such as smartphones, tablets, and desktops)
  • Cookies or anonymous identifiers
  • Time spent on a website or app

While non-PII doesn’t directly identify individuals, there can still be privacy concerns associated with its collection, storage, and usage, especially when combined with other data sources or when certain patterns can lead to indirect identification. Therefore, organizations that collect non-PII need privacy policies and procedures to safeguard this information and ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Here you’ll find the full comparison of personally identifiable information, non-personally identifiable information and personal data: What is PII, non-PII, and personal data? [UPDATED]


  • first party data

    First-party analytics without consent: Your Digital Omnibus compliance guide

    The Digital Omnibus is the European Commission’s simplification initiative to modernize the EU’s digital rulebook and reduce consent fatigue. The framework would enable first-party analytics without consent when specific criteria are met, ending years of uncertainty about the use of legitimate interest for web statistics.

  • University website personalization: First-party data strategies for student recruitment and retention

    University websites receive millions of visits annually from diverse audiences – prospective students, admitted students weighing their options, current undergraduates, graduate students, parents, alumni, and faculty. Yet most institutions serve identical content to all these visitors, missing critical opportunities to engage each audience with relevant information.