nonsensitive

Nonsensitive is an adjective used to describe information that does not require heightened privacy protections because it does not disclose personal attributes or sensitive data. In information governance and data protection contexts, information is sometimes categorized as sensitive or nonsensitive to guide handling, storage, and access controls. The exact meaning of the term can vary by organization or jurisdiction, and it is often used in policy documents rather than as a formal legal category.

Common examples of nonsensitive information include publicly available corporate contact details, general business statistics that are already publicly reported, or generic descriptions of products that do not reveal private data about individuals. In privacy risk terms, nonsensitive data is typically non-identifying and non-inferable about a person’s sensitive characteristics.

Despite its label, nonsensitive data can pose privacy risks if combined with other data or if the context changes. De-anonymization and linkability can occur when nonsensitive data is aggregated or cross-referenced with other sources. Therefore, many organizations still apply reasonable safeguards, such as data minimization, access controls, and auditing, even for information deemed nonsensitive.

In practice, data classification schemes may include a category for nonsensitive information, with correspondingly lighter protection requirements, while still aligning with overall data governance and compliance frameworks.