Stripping PII

You know that stripping PII (personal identifying information) from data collected on us for statistical or other reasons is not as clear cut as we may have been led to believe. Removing PII should theoretically provide no link to our identity. It is however safe to say that for the aggregate of this stripped data the same cannot be said. The link although may not be direct is nonetheless a link of sorts, in the form of a 'dormant identity linkage'. There has been an interesting study done at Carnegie Mellon University (Uniqueness of Simple Demographics in the U.S. Population) that those of you interested in this subject matter maybe be interested to read.