Privacy Matters
Private Personal Information: Protect It!
Working With It? Secure It!
Done With It? Delete It!
Already Read It? Shred It!
Done with It? Destroy It!

PRIVATE PERSONAL INFORMATION: PROTECT IT!

Private Personal Information: Protect It!

Best Practices for Protecting PPI

As a member of the University community, you may have access to private, personal information (PPI) for employees, students, patients, etc. It is essential that this PPI is protected.

What is PPI?

PPI is Private Personal Information. It is information which can be used to uniquely identify, contact or locate a single person, or may enable disclosure of personal information.

Some examples of PPI include:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Birth Date
  • Gender
  • National ID (i.e., Social Security Number)
  • Driver's License Number
  • Credit Card Number
  • Student Records
  • Individually identifiable Patient Health Information
  • Individually identifiable Human Subject Research

Why protect PPI?

  • Unauthorized disclosure of PPI may lead to identity theft or may otherwise harm the University or an individual.
  • It is required by U-M's Standard Practice Guide 601.12
  • It is required by federal, state and industry regulations.

In an environment like a university, where there are many access points to data, protecting data requires everyone's vigilance. Protect other individuals' PPI with the same care and caution with which you would like your information protected.

Who should I tell if I recognize that PPI has been compromised?