In governance, what does data minimization mean?

• A. Collecting data from as many sources to maximize insight.
• B. Collecting and retaining only the minimum necessary personal data to achieve legitimate purposes.
• C. Storing all data indefinitely to ensure future use.
• D. Sharing data with third parties to minimize internal storage.

Answer: (B)

Data minimization is the practice of collecting only what is strictly necessary to achieve a legitimate purpose and then retaining it only as long as needed. This approach reduces privacy risk, lowers the chance of data breaches, and helps demonstrate accountability and compliance with privacy laws that require purpose limitation and proportionality. The described choice expresses this idea by emphasizing collecting and keeping only the minimum personal data required for a legitimate objective. The other approaches push beyond necessity—gathering data from many sources, storing everything indefinitely, or sharing data without regard to minimizing exposure—each of which increases risk and does not align with responsible governance.