Genetic information redaction is the removal of family-history and DNA-test material from a recruitment file. UK GDPR Art. 9(1) lists genetic data as a special category in its own right, and because no employment-specific gateway in DPA 2018 Sch. 1 covers it the way one exists for health data, explicit consent under Art. 9(2)(a) is usually the only lawful route, and consent an applicant gives to a prospective employer is rarely considered freely given. anonym.plus marks lineage and test cues on your device, so the record holds no such detail.
When this applies
A medical form or a note may capture a relative's illness or a DNA-test result with no real consent basis behind it at all. You strip that so it never touches a hiring choice, rather than relying on a gateway that likely does not apply.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the file in anonym.plus on your device.
- Built-in OCR reads a scanned medical form.
- The app marks family-illness and test cues.
- Confirm each marking and keep job-related fields.
- Black out the confirmed hereditary material.
- Save the cleaned file locally.
What you need to provide
- The medical file (PDF, DOCX, or scan).
- An operator (Redact suits hereditary material).
- Optional batch for many files at once.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hereditary | NRP | family history → [GENETIC] |
| Medical | MEDICAL_LICENSE | lab reg. no. → [PROVIDER] |
| Names | PERSON | relative named → [RELATIVE] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | test date → [DATE] |
| NHS Number | UK_NHS | NHS 943 476 5919 → [NHS_NO] |
| Location | LOCATION | lab address → [ADDRESS] |
Compliance achieved
- Treats genetic information as its own special category under UK GDPR Art. 9(1).
- Recognises that Art. 9(2)(a) explicit consent is usually the only gateway available, and that an applicant's consent to a prospective employer is rarely freely given.
- Offline work keeps hereditary material off the cloud.
Anonymise files with genetic information offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
UK GDPR also restricts how special-category information is acquired and on what lawful basis, not only its storage, and an asymptomatic genetic predisposition sits outside the Equality Act 2010's definition of disability even though a later, manifest condition would be protected. The app removes content; it does not police intake. Avoid requesting a relative's illnesses or a DNA-test result in the first place, with counsel's guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as genetic information under UK GDPR?
Art. 9(1) lists it as a special category in its own right, distinct from general health data, covering DNA test results and inherited-condition information. anonym.plus marks those cues for removal.
Can a job applicant just consent to sharing a DNA test result?
Rarely in a way the law would rely on. Consent given to a prospective employer, who holds the power to make or break the offer, is not usually treated as freely given under Art. 9(2)(a), so the safer step is not to collect it.
Is a genetic predisposition itself a disability?
Not under the Equality Act 2010's definition, which requires an actual, substantial, and long-term impairment. A later condition that does meet that test would be protected; the predisposition data is still special category under the UK GDPR either way.