Which of the following best defines data minimization?

Data minimization refers to the principle that data collected should be relevant, adequate, and limited to what is necessary for its intended purpose. This approach emphasizes the importance of not collecting or retaining excessive information beyond what is needed to achieve specific goals, thereby enhancing privacy and security.

By focusing on relevance and necessity, data minimization helps organizations reduce their risk of exposure and potential breaches while also adhering to regulatory requirements that often mandate the protection of personally identifiable information (PII). Essentially, it aims to streamline data management practices by ensuring that only essential information is processed and stored, which ultimately contributes to more efficient data governance.

In contrast, options that suggest collecting data for all potential uses, collecting more data than necessary for analytics, or allowing unrestricted access to all stored data would completely negate the principle of data minimization. These practices could lead to increased risk of data breaches, compliance issues, and challenges in data management.