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De-identification

Also called anonymisation, pseudonymisation

Removing or replacing the details that could identify a respondent, so what you hold cannot be traced back to a person.

Anonymous data cannot be linked back to an individual. Pseudonymous data replaces direct identifiers with a code while a linking key still exists, as often happens in longitudinal studies. Describe that distinction when explaining your data collection.

Identifiers are not only names and emails. Free-text answers volunteer details, IP addresses and device fingerprints identify, and small cells re-identify by combination: department plus tenure plus office is often one person. Every demographic question narrows the crowd somebody is hiding in.

Collect only the details you need. Review combinations of demographic fields and open-text answers as well as direct identifiers, and explain what you collect to respondents.

Where it goes wrong

Small reporting groups can make people identifiable, especially when readers already know the population. Review the risk before publishing a breakdown.

See also

Informed consent
Agreement to take part given before anything is collected, by somebody who has been told what taking part involves.
Social desirability bias
The tendency to answer the way that reflects well on you rather than the way that is true.
Cross-tabulation
A table that breaks down answers to one question by answers to another.

All 35 terms

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Put it into practice in your next survey.