Why anonymity fails

The extension of the open data programme to personal data such as medical records was based on the hope that personal data could be anonymised. This is turning into a slow-motion political train wreck, with the care.data scandal and the revelation that the hospital episode statistics data sold to numerous companies contained patient postcodes and dates of birth, so the anonymity claims were simply false.

Ross Anderson, Professor of Security Engineering at Cambridge, asks: What’s going on?

NOTE: Many thanks to Thomson Reuters for providing the larger venue for this lecture. The room is on the 4th floor of Mark Square House, so please try to arrive a little early to allow enough time to get to your seat.

Twitter: #odifridays