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Personal Data

Definitions and examples

Personal data

Personal data is any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. But, because they concern people, they must retain control over them.

A natural person can be identified:

  • directly (example: name and first name);
  • indirectly (example: by a phone number or license plate number, an identifier such as the social security number, a postal or email address, but also voice or image). The identification of a natural person can be performed:
  • from a single data (example: name);
  • from the cross-referencing of a set of data (example: a woman living at such address, born on such day and member of such association). On the other hand, company coordinates (for example, the company "Company A" with its postal address, its switchboard phone number and a generic contact email "company1@email.fr") are not, in principle, personal data.

Sensitive data

Sensitive data forms a particular category of personal data.

This is information that reveals alleged racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs or trade union membership, as well as the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person's sex life or sexual orientation.

The European regulation prohibits collecting or using this data, except, notably, in the following cases:

  • if the data subject has given explicit consent (active, explicit and preferably written approach, which must be free, specific, and informed);
  • if the information is manifestly made public by the data subject;
  • if they are necessary for the safeguarding of human life;
  • if their use is justified by public interest and authorized by the CNIL;
  • if they concern members or adherents of an association or a political, religious, philosophical, political or trade union organization.

About social networks

Social networks are in principle required to respect your personal data. However, we have learned that thanks to advanced profiling techniques, social networks are able to present their users with advertisements likely to interest them.

Thus, we have seen that for a social network (SN):

  • the SN earns money by selling advertising space
  • thanks to profiling its users, the SN can sell advertising space at a higher price
  • thanks to profiling its users, the SN can offer you content that leads its users to "stay" longer on the platform
  • the more users of an SN are numerous, the longer they stay, and the more the SN can earn money

We have also seen that influencers are people who are often specialized in a field (video games, lifestyle, makeup, clothes, DIY, etc...). Their specialization mechanically implies the specialization of their audience, which allows them to be able to earn money through partnerships with brands. These brands offer them money in exchange for advertising for a product. Thanks to the fact that influencers maintain proximity with their subscribers, subscribers tend to give credit to articles presented by an influencer.