On the web, an identifier of some type is typically assigned for an [=identity=] as seen by a website, which makes it easier for an automated system to store data about that [=person=].
Examples of [=identifiers=] for a [=person=] can be:
their name,
an identification number including those mapping to a device that this [=person=] may be using,
their phone number,
their location data,
an online identifier such as email or IP addresses,
browser fingerprints (based on a combination of configuration characteristics), or
factors specific to their physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, social, or behavioral [=identity=],
strings derived from other [=identifiers=], for instance through hashing.
The bit of the definition saying "assigned", and the idea that it's for an identity instead of a group, doesn't really match the examples of location data, configuration characteristics, or factors about their identity. The examples are ways to identify or re-identify people, so they're useful, and maybe we should tweak the definition instead of making the examples match the current definition.
darobin
commented
6 months ago
We have:
The bit of the definition saying "assigned", and the idea that it's for an identity instead of a group, doesn't really match the examples of location data, configuration characteristics, or factors about their identity. The examples are ways to identify or re-identify people, so they're useful, and maybe we should tweak the definition instead of making the examples match the current definition.