Chapter 1: Introduction to Privacy
Sources of Personal Information
The same data can be treated differently by source: public records (held by government, available to the public), publicly available information (broadly accessible), and nonpublic information (restricted by law or custom).
| Source | Definition | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Public records | Collected/maintained by a government entity and available to the public | Real estate deeds, court filings |
| Publicly available information | Generally available to a wide range of persons | Phone-book names/addresses, newspapers, search engines |
| Nonpublic information | Not generally available due to law or custom | Medical records, financial info, adoption records, customer/employee databases |
Same data, three sources
A name and address can be a public record on a real estate deed, publicly available in a phone book, and nonpublic inside a health-care patient file. Restrictions may apply to the patient-file use but not to the public-record or publicly available versions, so you must understand the source.
Key terms - quick answers
What is “Public records”?
Information collected and maintained by a government entity and available to the public; public-records laws vary by jurisdiction.
What is “Publicly available information”?
Information generally available to a wide range of persons, such as phone-book listings, newspaper items, or search-engine results.
What is “Nonpublic information”?
Information not generally available or easily accessed due to law or custom, such as medical records, financial information, or adoption records.