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Re‑identification
Anonymization
Figuring out who someone is in data that was supposed to be anonymous.
Definition
Re-identification is when someone matches “anonymous” data back to a real person.
In plain English
Figuring out who someone is in data that was supposed to be anonymous.
Why this matters
Why it matters: It shows that anonymization can fail, especially when datasets are combined.
Example
Example: Matching a dataset to public records to identify people.