Name – Surname alone may not always be personal data, as there are many people with that name. However, where the name is combined with other information (such as address, place of work or telephone number), this will usually be sufficient to clearly identify an individual.

However, names are not necessarily necessary to identify a person.

Just because you don’t know an individual’s name doesn’t mean you can’t identify them. For example, many of us don’t know our neighbors’ names, but we can still identify them.

What is Special Personal Data? 

Sensitive personal data is a social engineering risks specific set of “special categories” that must be treated with extra security.

Below you can find some examples of special categories of personal data:

• Race or ethnicity
• Political views
• Religious or philosophical beliefs
• Union membership
• Genetic data
• Data regarding a person’s sexual life or sexual orientation
• Biometric data (when processed to uniquely identify an individual)

Differences Between Personal Data and Special Personal Data

The differences between personal strategies for hiring top performing and sensitive personal data are subtle, but technically they are a separate category of personal data that you must handle, store and process differently under applicable privacy laws.

Generally, personal information refers to any data that can directly or indirectly identify a person or household.

Personal information may include any of the following details:

• Names
• Email addresses
• Postal addresses
• IP addresses
• Phone numbers
• Dates of birth
• Postal codes
• Sensitive information

However, special personal data sault data is inherently more vulnerable than other personal identifiers.

Examples of special categories of personal data include:

• A person’s beliefs
• Medical and genetic data
• Criminal histories
• Opinions
• Gender Identity
• Race
• Other more intimate details

Both types of data can be harmful to the individuals affected if leaked, but unauthorized access to sensitive personal data is particularly damaging as it can lead to:

• Discrimination
• Abuse
• Identity theft
• Other types of permanent damage

Therefore, different data privacy laws determine how businesses can legally collect, store, and use such sensitive information and give users more rights over this data.

Legal Framework Surrounding Email Privacy

You may not realize it, but the laws and regulations surrounding email privacy are complex and constantly evolving, making it difficult to fully understand your rights and responsibilities as both an email user and a data controller. In the workplace, employers have a responsibility to protect sensitive information transmitted via email. However, employees also have certain rights when it comes to their personal emails.

However, it is important to note that there are international legal differences in email privacy regulations. For example, in Türkiye, the KVKK has strict rules on how personal data, including emails, can be processed. The KVKK requires explicit consent from individuals before their data can be collected or processed. On the other hand, in the United States, there is no federal law specifically regulating email privacy. Instead, different states have different laws regarding what constitutes a privacy violation.

As an email user or data controller, you need to be familiar with these legal frameworks to ensure that you are complying with all applicable laws and appropriately protecting sensitive information. Being aware of your responsibilities and rights will help you make informed decisions about how you handle emails containing personal or confidential information. Understanding these regulations can also prevent costly legal battles resulting from violations of privacy laws.