Publication dataset anonymisation is the removal of participant identifiers so a file falls under UK GDPR Recital 26. Once nobody can be identified, it leaves UK GDPR scope. anonym.plus runs offline and keeps the variables open and usable.
When this applies
A journal asks for the underlying file as a supplement. It must name no participant, since open release is permanent and public.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the file (CSV, XLSX, or DOCX) into anonym.plus on your device.
- The tool scans columns and notes for any direct identifier.
- Local OCR reads a scanned survey sheet if you add one.
- Confirm the flagged names, emails, and rare dates.
- Replace each with a stable token, or drop the field.
- Save the open-ready file locally with no upload.
What you need to provide
- The file (CSV, XLSX, DOCX, or scan).
- An operator: Replace for tokens, Redact to drop a column.
- Optional: a token map (do not publish it).
Patient data entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | Priya Nair → [P_017] |
| EMAIL_ADDRESS | p.nair@example.co.uk → [EMAIL] | |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | survey 03/03/2026 → [WEEK] |
| Location | LOCATION | Leicester, England → [REGION] |
| Age | AGE | age 97 → [AGE_BAND] |
| Free-text ID | ID | resp R-204 → [RESP_ID] |
Compliance achieved
- Open release only works if UK GDPR Recital 26 is met: nobody identifiable by any means reasonably likely to be used, by anyone, permanently.
- Test that with the ICO's motivated-intruder test from its anonymisation guidance, not against what your own team happens to know.
- Re-identifying published data without consent is a criminal offence under DPA 2018 s.171 — but a prosecution does not undo a disclosure, so the file has to be safe first.
- A university holding the underlying file must also weigh the personal-data exemption in s.40 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 before releasing anything further.
- Data sharing on publication is expected under the Concordat to Support Research Integrity; anonymisation is what makes it possible.
- Runs offline — no cloud upload, no data-processor contract; working copies stay under AES-256-GCM.
Anonymise publication datasets offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
Open release is final, so the bar is high. UK GDPR Recital 26 means no one can be identified by any means reasonably likely to be used. The tool removes direct identifiers; you must also generalise rare values and discard the token map before you publish.
Frequently asked questions
What does UK GDPR Recital 26 say?
It states that data-protection law does not apply to anonymous information — data that does not relate to an identifiable person by any means reasonably likely to be used. A published supplement has to reach that bar, because open release cannot be undone and DPA 2018 s.171 only punishes re-identification after the fact.
Is removing names enough for open data?
Often not. A rare age or a small region can still single someone out. You remove direct identifiers and then generalise rare values.
Should I publish the token map?
No. If the map is public, the data can be re-linked and is no longer anonymous. Keep any map private, or discard it entirely.