CCPA Privacy and Security FAQs: Does the CCPA define “personal information” differently for privacy and security purposes?

Yes.

The sections of the CCPA that relate to data privacy (i.e., the collection, use, and sharing of information) use a definition of “personal information” that includes approximately 26 categories or types of data.1That said, an amendment to the CCPA deferred the full impact of the Act upon employee data until January 1, 2021.2 In contrast, the sections of the CCPA that relate to data security (i.e., the protection of information) adopt a far narrower definition of “personal information” that includes only 6 categories of types of data.  The following chart indicates which categories of personal information apply to the data privacy and the data security sections of the CCPA:

Examples of Personal Information Applies to Privacy Requirements of CCPA Applies to Security Requirements of CCPA
1.          Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory, or similar information ✓3  
2.          Bank account number ✓4 ✓5
3.          Biometric information ✓6  
4.          Commercial information (e.g., products or services purchased, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies) ✓7
5.          Credit card number ✓8 ✓9
6.          Debit card number ✓10 ✓11
7.          Driver’s License Number / State ID ✓12 ✓13
8.          Education ✓14  
9.          Electronic network activity (e.g., browsing history) ✓15  
10.       Email address ✓16 Partial ✓17
11.       Employment ✓18  
12.       Employment history ✓19  
13.       Geolocation data ✓20  
14.       Health insurance information ✓21 ✓22
15.       Identifiers (e.g., name or alias) ✓23 Partial ✓24
16.       Insurance Policy Number ✓25 ✓26
17.       Medical information ✓27 ✓28
18.       Online identifier (e.g. IP address) ✓29  
19.       Other financial information ✓30  
20.       Passport Number ✓31  
21.       Physical Characteristics ✓32  
22.       Postal address ✓33  
23.       Signature ✓34  
24.       Social Security Number ✓35 ✓36
25.       Telephone Number ✓37  
26.       Transaction information ✓38