Confidentiality vs Anonymity
Anonymity and confidentiality are two related concepts, which differ in their application. Confidentiality is about the prevention of information or data leakage, while anonymity is about not revealing or maintaining the secrecy of an individual’s identity. Both terms are commonly associated with research.
What does Anonymity mean?
Anonymity refers to the concealment or non-disclosure of a person’s identity. In medical research, anonymity is essential to ensure that the identity of research participants is protected, so that no offense is created. When a researcher is aware of the information but cannot tell the identity of a person based on that data, it is referred to as anonymity.
Anonymity can also be used in other contexts, such as crime, where criminals hide their faces, wear gloves, etc. In literature, anonymity is used when an author publishes a work without attaching their name, especially when writing critical articles about politics or sensitive subjects.
What does Confidentiality mean?
Confidentiality refers to the non-disclosure of information or maintaining the secrecy of information. In a medical research context, when a researcher knows the identity of individuals, it is their ethical responsibility to maintain the confidentiality of that sensitive information. This means that the researcher agrees not to reveal the identity of the participants to anyone else.
Confidentiality can also be applied in other fields, such as business, law, and commerce, where a person or company agrees not to reveal information about their client without the client’s approval.
Key Takeaways
- Anonymity is about not revealing or maintaining the secrecy of an individual’s identity, while confidentiality is about not disclosing information and maintaining the secrecy of that information.
- Confidentiality means a researcher agrees not to reveal the identity of the participants to anyone else, whereas anonymity means the researcher is not even aware of the identity of the participants.
- Anonymity and confidentiality are interconnected, but they differ in their application and the level of identity protection they provide.
