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Principle of limiting data collection to what is necessary for a defined purpose.

Definition

Data minimization is a privacy principle requiring that personal data collected and processed is adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary for the stated purpose.

In plain English Principle of limiting data collection to what is necessary for a defined purpose.

Why this matters

Why it matters: It reduces attack surface, sensitive inference risk, and long-term harm from retention.

Example

Example: Disabling precise location and collecting only coarse region when needed.