What is the definition of Personally Identifiable Information?

The definition of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) refers specifically to information that can identify a particular individual. This includes data such as names, social security numbers, addresses, and other identifiers that allow one to determine the identity of a person. The importance of this definition lies in the protection of individual privacy; many laws and regulations exist to safeguard PII, recognizing its sensitivity and the potential for misuse if it falls into the wrong hands.

In contrast, the other choices do not accurately capture the essence of PII. For instance, information used for public records may not always pertain to personal identification, as it can include a wide range of non-sensitive data. General information about a job position does not involve individual identities and therefore cannot be classified as PII. Lastly, data that is available to the general public is not considered PII precisely because it is not personal or private; by definition, PII must be data that someone can link directly to an individual, which is not the case for data available to the broader public.