Extract from Daniel Wong’s article “Redaction in the Digital Age: Here’s What You Need to Know”
What is redaction?
In its most basic form, redaction is the process of removing sensitive information or personal data from a document or other form of communication.
Depending on the field or industry, redaction can look different. In this series, we’ll be looking at redaction from the perspective of legal teams, law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and federal government agencies, so the discussion will focus on the redaction of different types of evidentiary data, such as text documents, imagery, videos, and audio.
What is the purpose of redaction?
Properly redacted evidence is an important way to protect the PII of those involved in the evidence along with the integrity of the case.
PII is any piece of information that permits an individual’s identity to be inferred either directly or indirectly. Types of PII can include:
- Names
- Biometrics
- Social Security, driver’s license, or Alien Registration numbers
- Medical or financial information
- And more
Redacting sensitive information also helps teams and agencies comply with legal processes and privacy laws while also preventing misuse or unauthorized access to sensitive information. Leaked PII could easily become a privacy incident and lead to disruptions in the case.
