Email-disclosure redaction is the removal of personal data from messages you disclose under CPR PD 31B. CPR 31.4's wide definition of a document reaches an email and its metadata equally. anonym.plus scans headers, bodies, and quoted threads on your device, so the message still reads in context.
When this applies
Email is the bulk of most disclosure exercises conducted under CPR PD 31B. Headers, signatures, and quoted replies repeat names and contacts, and under CPR 31.9 you need not separately disclose a copy that is identical in every material way to one already produced — so a clean, de-duplicated set is worth doing properly the first time.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Load the messages into anonym.plus on your device.
- It scans To, From, Cc, body, and quoted threads.
- The tool flags names, emails, phones, and signatures.
- Confirm the flags across the full thread.
- Replace or mask each confirmed value.
- Save the clean messages on your device.
What you need to provide
- The messages (PST, EML, MSG, PDF, or DOCX).
- An operator; Replace keeps the thread readable.
- Optional steady labels for repeat senders.
PII entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | From: K. Bell → [SENDER] |
| Contact | EMAIL_ADDRESS | k.bell@corp.co.uk → [EMAIL] |
| Contact | PHONE_NUMBER | sig +44 20 7946 0199 → [PHONE] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | Sent 03/02 → [DATE] |
| Location | LOCATION | office address → [ADDRESS] |
| Identifiers | UK_NINO | NINO in body → [NINO] |
Compliance achieved
- Removes PII from email disclosed under CPR PD 31B, matching the wide document definition in CPR 31.4.
- Scans headers, body, signatures, and quoted threads, not just the first message in a chain.
- Supports the near-duplicate handling in CPR 31.9, so a de-duplicated set does not need re-clearing message by message.
- Offline work keeps message data inside your firm.
Anonymise email disclosure offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
Long threads repeat the same names many times. The tool catches each one, but check signature blocks and image footers, where OCR may miss faint text. A missed quoted reply can leak a name you meant to clear.
Frequently asked questions
Does it redact the whole thread, not just the top message?
Yes. It scans quoted replies and forwards too, so a name buried deep in a thread is flagged the same as one in the header — important given how CPR 31.4 treats an email and every quoted layer as part of the same document.
Can it read PST and MSG files?
Yes. Common mail formats are supported, plus PDF and DOCX exports of messages, whatever form the parties agreed for CPR PD 31B exchange.
Will the message still make sense after redaction?
Yes. Replace puts a steady label in place of each value, so the exchange still reads in context, and CPR 31.9 means you are not obliged to hand over an identical copy again once one clean version exists.