Which principle is central to privacy by design?

• A. Maximize data retention
• B. Centralize all data without consent
• C. Minimize data collection
• D. Share data with partners by default

Answer: (C)

At the heart of privacy by design is embedding privacy protections into a product or system from the very start. The key principle here is data minimization: collect only what is strictly necessary for the intended purpose, and limit how long you keep it and what you do with it. This approach reduces the amount of personal data at risk, makes it easier to secure, and helps meet privacy laws and user expectations. The other practices—keeping lots of data, centralizing everything without consent, or sharing data with partners by default—inflate risk, undermine user control, and clash with the idea of designing with privacy in mind from the outset. So, minimizing data collection is the best fit for privacy by design.