What does personally identifiable information (PII) refer to?

Personally identifiable information (PII) is defined as information that can be used to identify a specific individual. This includes a variety of data types, such as names, social security numbers, addresses, phone numbers, and any other information that can distinguish one person from another. The importance of PII lies in its potential to compromise individual privacy and security, making it essential for organizations to handle such information carefully and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations, such as data protection laws.

The other options miss the critical aspect of how PII is defined. For example, data that is untraceable and anonymous does not constitute PII, as it cannot be linked back to a specific individual. Similarly, general information about a population lacks the specificity required to identify someone and therefore does not qualify as PII. Lastly, data that cannot be disclosed under any circumstances may pertain to sensitive information but does not necessarily indicate that such information is PII, as PII can be legitimately shared under certain conditions in accordance with privacy laws.