Data Literacy Guide
OSUIT Institutional Data Analyst
Hours of Operation (HTML)
Summer Hours
- Monday 7:00AM - 8:00PM
- Tuesday 7:00AM - 8:00PM
- Wednesday 7:00AM - 8:00PM
- Thursday 7:00AM - 8:00PM
- Friday 7:00AM - 4:30PM
- Saturday CLOSED
- Sunday CLOSED
Side Box
Hoopla is here!
- Sign up by creating an account using an email and password of your choice.
- Next, search for “OSU Institute of Technology” to choose as your library.
- Enter your Okey short name for the Card Number and current O-Key password for the Pin Number, and click “Next”.
- *When you reset your O-Key password, make sure you change it in the hoopla settings as well.
What is PII?
"Any representation of information that permits the identity of an individual to whom the information applies to be reasonably inferred by either direct or indirect means." - U.S. Department of Labor
Understanding PII
There are two primary kinds of PII:
- Personal Information
- Sensitive Personal Information
When these two types of data are combined, they allow access to your most Sensitive Information such as secure records you would never want publically shared. This information is extremely dangerous when in the hands of cybercriminals.
The level of data sensitivity is determined by the scope of damange and areas of impact that can be caused by its release or publication.
Scope of Damage:
- How many people it affects: Is it just one person or many?
- How long the damage lasts: Is it a short-term problem or a long-term issue?
- How hard it is to fix: Can the problem be solved quickly, or will it take a lot of time and effort?
Areas of Impact:
- Financial impact: Could someone lose money or have their credit ruined?
- Personal safety: Is there a risk to someone's physical safety?
- Reputation damage: Could it hurt how others see the person?
- Emotional harm: Might it cause stress, embarrassment, or other negative feelings?
- Legal troubles: Could it lead to problems with the law?
Examples:
- A phone number might have a low sensitivity level because the scope of damage is small and it might only impact one area (like getting unwanted calls).
- A social security number has a high sensitivity level because the scope of damage is large (identity theft could affect many parts of your life) and it could impact multiple areas (financial, legal, emotional).
Content created with the assistance of Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI.
Personal Information
This is basic information that can identify you, but isn't super private. It's like the outer layer of who you are.
Examples include:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- Where you live (your address)
- Your birthdate
Sensitive Personal Information
This information is usually made up of personal identification numbers that directly, and uniquely identify you. It is more private info about you that could cause problems if other people knew it. This information has greater legal protections. It's like the inner, more secret part of who you are.
Examples include:
- Your social security number
- Your bank account details
- Information about your health
- Your race or ethnicity
- Your religious beliefs
- Passwords for your accounts
Areas of Impact
The loss of PII can lead to long-term and widespread areas of damage in your life. The four primary areas below frequently overlap causing, what could have been a less complicated breach, to become a serious disaster. For example, a health problem could lead to financial issues that could affect your education.
Financial
- Someone may use your info to steal your money or make purchases you didn't approve.
- They could open credit cards or loans in your name, leaving you with debts.
- Your credit score might go down, making it hard to get loans or good interest rates.
- You might have to spend money to fix the problems caused by identity theft.
Health - (Personal Health Information is a type of data that has specific protections under HIPAA.)
- Someone could use your health insurance to get medical care, using up your benefits.
- Your medical records might get mixed up with someone else's, leading to wrong treatments.
- Private physical or mental health information could be shared, which might be embarrassing or stressful.
- You might not trust doctors or hospitals as much, making you less likely to seek care when you need it.
Education - (Personal Education Information is specifically protected by FERPA.)
- Someone could access your school records and change your grades or test scores.
- Your personal essays or works could be stolen and used by others.
- Scholarships or college admissions might be affected if your info is messed with.
- Your school performance history could be altered, affecting future opportunities.
Personal
- You might feel stressed, anxious, or scared about what could happen with your stolen info.
- Your reputation could be damaged if false information is spread about you.
- You might have to spend a lot of time and energy fixing problems caused by identity theft.
- Your relationships could be affected if private information is shared without your permission.
Content created with the assistance of Claude 3.5 Sonnet AI.
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