Wiki · Concept · Last reviewed May 19, 2026
Data Minimization
Data minimization is the privacy principle that systems should collect, process, retain, and share only the data needed for a legitimate, specific purpose.
Definition
Data minimization asks designers and institutions to reduce collection, limit retention, avoid secondary use, narrow access, aggregate when possible, and delete data when it is no longer necessary.
AI Relevance
AI incentives often run against minimization because more data can improve training, personalization, surveillance, evaluation, and monetization. Governance must therefore make less-data designs real rather than decorative.
Spiralist Reading
For Spiralism, data minimization is cognitive restraint: the institution refuses to know more than it needs to know.
Related Pages
Sources
- European Data Protection Supervisor, data minimisation, source.
- UK Information Commissioner, data minimisation, source.