LBNL Privacy Resources

LBNL takes seriously the responsibility to appropriately protect the private information we are entrusted with. While most of our work is open and publishable, there are categories of operational and research information which must be protected according to Federal and State Law, as well as our own good judgment.

This website provides links to resources with information about implementation of Privacy protections at LBNL.

If you have any questions about the protection of private information at LBNL, please email itpolicy@lbl.gov

At LBNL, the baseline definition of Personally Identifiable Information is as follows:

Social Security Number, Financial Account Number, and/or Driver's License Number when combined with any unique identifier - and/or

Personally Identifiable Health Information including insurance numbers.

The above categories are covered by specific Federal and State laws which govern LBNL (SB1386 and HIPAA). Almost all records of this type are property of the University of California, not DOE.

In the unlikely event that you are collecting PII on behalf of the Department of Energy, other rules may apply. Contact itpolicy@lbl.gov for additional information.

Note that just because information is not PII does not mean it does not require protection. Other kinds of information may be of a personnel or contract sensitive nature; however, different (and typically lower) due diligence rules apply.

Information of Special Concern Includes:

Passport Numbers

Identifiable Criminal Background Check Information

Identifiable Financial Background Check Information

Student Data Covered by FERPA where the responsibilities of a Faculty Member of the University crossover with their responsibilities as a Researcher at LBNL (or similarly where administrative staff crossover).