---
title: "De-anonymisation"
description: "Synonym of [re-identification](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/re-identification/), see, [anonymisation](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/anonymisation/), [pseudonymisation](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/pseudonymisation/), [confidentiality](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/confidentiality/) and [smallest identical subset](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/smallest-identical-subset/) for more on this hugely important topic! See also [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/14/confidential-health-records-exposed-online-uk-biobank](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/14/confidential-health-records-exposed-online-uk-biobank) for a depressing example of a highly funded research project being incredibly naïve about the potential for deanonymisation of research data.…"
url: "https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/de-anonymisation/"
updated: "2026-03-14"
category: All OM book glossary entries
---

# De-anonymisation

Synonym of [re-identification](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/re-identification/), see, [anonymisation](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/anonymisation/), [pseudonymisation](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/pseudonymisation/), [confidentiality](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/confidentiality/) and [smallest identical subset](https://www.psyctc.org/psyctc/glossary2/smallest-identical-subset/) for more on this hugely important topic!

See also [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/14/confidential-health-records-exposed-online-uk-biobank](https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/mar/14/confidential-health-records-exposed-online-uk-biobank) for a depressing example of a highly funded research project being incredibly naïve about the potential for deanonymisation of research data.

#### Dates

Tweaked to add more helpful cross links 26.xi.23, added link to Biobank article 14.iii.26.