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Data Anonymization Risks

Meaning

Data anonymization risks refer to the potential for re-identification or linkage attacks that could expose the personal identity of individuals from whom health and wellness data have been collected, even after direct identifiers have been removed. While anonymization techniques are intended to protect privacy, sophisticated computational methods can sometimes correlate supposedly anonymous data points with external public or commercial datasets. These risks pose a significant ethical and legal challenge in the digital health space, especially concerning sensitive hormonal and genetic information. Clinicians and technology providers must acknowledge these limitations when handling patient data and utilizing large datasets for research.