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People often confuse these two terms, but the distinction between them is important. And then they get into strange situations. I propose to understand the terminology. Let's look at an example based on a user survey.
When researchers use surveys to collect data from individuals, they often say that the survey will be confidential or anonymous.
Privacy data collection
When data are collected confidentially, researchers can identify individual subjects and their specific responses. Typically, researchers assign a number or code to each person so that they can be identified.
Once survey data is collected, there are several ways to ensure that it is protected and kept confidential, including:
* Using physical means of protecting the data, such as locked cabinets, secluded interview rooms, private offices, password-protected data centers, etc.
* Allowing as few people as possible to have access to data to prevent the possibility of someone leaking information in the event of a disaster.
* Using computer passwords, anti-virus software, firewalls, and encryption to ensure that any digitally stored data cannot be accessed by anyone without authorization.
When the results of a survey are reported, the overall data should be pooled together so that it is impossible to know any particular person's answers. For example, a survey might say that "40% of people said they were confident in their negotiation skills" rather than something like "people with the last names Smith, Anderson, Miller, and Hovak said they were confident in their negotiation skills. ".
All statistics and figures used in the study results should be reported at the group level, not the individual level.
Anonymous data collection
When data are collected anonymously, researchers cannot identify individual subjects and their specific responses. That is, only the individuals themselves know that they participated in the study, and only they know their specific responses.
When data are collected in this way, people are de-identified and individuals are not assigned codes, so it is not possible to link any specific responses to specific people.
This means that no information about specific individuals is collected, such as address, name, phone number, social security number, or any other information that would link a person to their survey responses.
Confidentiality versus anonymity
It is important to note that a research study cannot collect data in a way that is both confidential and anonymous.
For example, if researchers invite people to answer survey questions in person in a private room, then obviously the data will not be anonymous because the researchers know which people provided which answers. In this case, they must ensure that the survey data is collected and stored confidentially.
On the other hand, if people take an online survey anonymously, there is no need to keep the data confidential because there are no unique identifying characteristics that can link survey responses to specific people. In this case, researchers simply need to make sure that when data is shared, it is aggregated and presented at the group level.
For data that is collected through online surveys, researchers also need to make sure that it is not possible to identify the specific IP address from which survey responses came, otherwise it would be possible to determine which individuals from specific IP addresses provided which responses. This would violate people's anonymity.
A little bit closer to our topic.
If you take your favorite Telegram, for example. You'll see that it's not anonymous, it's confidential. So it collects data, but it doesn't tell anyone. I guess. Therefore, we must understand that if a service or program asks for any data from you except your nickname, it is by definition not anonymous. Anonymity can be made anonymous only with the help of your skills and tricks.
When researchers use surveys to collect data from individuals, they often say that the survey will be confidential or anonymous.
Privacy data collection
When data are collected confidentially, researchers can identify individual subjects and their specific responses. Typically, researchers assign a number or code to each person so that they can be identified.
Once survey data is collected, there are several ways to ensure that it is protected and kept confidential, including:
* Using physical means of protecting the data, such as locked cabinets, secluded interview rooms, private offices, password-protected data centers, etc.
* Allowing as few people as possible to have access to data to prevent the possibility of someone leaking information in the event of a disaster.
* Using computer passwords, anti-virus software, firewalls, and encryption to ensure that any digitally stored data cannot be accessed by anyone without authorization.
When the results of a survey are reported, the overall data should be pooled together so that it is impossible to know any particular person's answers. For example, a survey might say that "40% of people said they were confident in their negotiation skills" rather than something like "people with the last names Smith, Anderson, Miller, and Hovak said they were confident in their negotiation skills. ".
All statistics and figures used in the study results should be reported at the group level, not the individual level.
Anonymous data collection
When data are collected anonymously, researchers cannot identify individual subjects and their specific responses. That is, only the individuals themselves know that they participated in the study, and only they know their specific responses.
When data are collected in this way, people are de-identified and individuals are not assigned codes, so it is not possible to link any specific responses to specific people.
This means that no information about specific individuals is collected, such as address, name, phone number, social security number, or any other information that would link a person to their survey responses.
Confidentiality versus anonymity
It is important to note that a research study cannot collect data in a way that is both confidential and anonymous.
For example, if researchers invite people to answer survey questions in person in a private room, then obviously the data will not be anonymous because the researchers know which people provided which answers. In this case, they must ensure that the survey data is collected and stored confidentially.
On the other hand, if people take an online survey anonymously, there is no need to keep the data confidential because there are no unique identifying characteristics that can link survey responses to specific people. In this case, researchers simply need to make sure that when data is shared, it is aggregated and presented at the group level.
For data that is collected through online surveys, researchers also need to make sure that it is not possible to identify the specific IP address from which survey responses came, otherwise it would be possible to determine which individuals from specific IP addresses provided which responses. This would violate people's anonymity.
A little bit closer to our topic.
If you take your favorite Telegram, for example. You'll see that it's not anonymous, it's confidential. So it collects data, but it doesn't tell anyone. I guess. Therefore, we must understand that if a service or program asks for any data from you except your nickname, it is by definition not anonymous. Anonymity can be made anonymous only with the help of your skills and tricks.
