Anonymized data is a type of data that has been processed to remove any personally identifiable information (PII) or personal data. Such data is often used in research, analytics, and other data-driven activities, as well as for compliance with privacy regulations.

According to GDPR, anonymized data has been altered in such a way that it can’t be used to identify a specific person. Since anonymized data can’t be restored, it isn’t considered personal data under GDPR. This means it is exempt from GDPR.

Some examples of compliant data anonymization methods include:

  • Randomization:





    • Noise addition – Where personal identifiers are expressed imprecisely, for instance: height: 180 cm → height: 320 cm





    • Substitution – Where personal identifiers are shuffled within a table or replaced with random values, for instance: ZIP: 10120 → ZIP: postcode






  • Generalization:





    • Aggregation – Where personal identifiers are generalized into a range or group, for instance: age: 30 → age: 20-35






Removing any identifiable information from a dataset allows for meaningful analysis without compromising the privacy of individuals.

Examples of use cases for anonymized data include:

  • Measuring the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
  • Analyzing the behavior of website or mobile app users.
  • Analyzing trends and patterns.

Further reading:


  • PHI and PII

    PHI and PII: How they impact HIPAA compliance and your marketing strategy

    Personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) may seem similar. However, there are critical distinctions between the two. While PII is a catch-all term for any information that can be associated with an individual, PHI applies specifically to HIPAA-covered entities dealing with identifiable patient information. Keeping HIPAA compliant and protecting patient information requires…

  • How can healthcare organizations benefit from using a customer data platform (CDP)

    Like many industries, healthcare has been undergoing significant change and is under immense pressure. Patients expect personalized healthcare experiences, but are increasingly aware of their privacy rights and demand that their data is safe and not misused. Healthcare providers have been seeking ways to connect, scale, and leverage customer data more effectively to meet consumers’…