Redaction Limited to What Is Withheld

Each redaction covers only the information withheld, and not the surrounding text, page, or record that contains it.

Criterion: H5
Level: Level 2
Domain: Redaction and Exemptions
Reflects: Article 15(4)

Intent

Removing a whole paragraph to hide one name takes the person's own data with it. The shape of a redaction is visible even when what is under it is not.

How to test it

An assessor scores the criterion against a single response:

Score 2: Each redaction covers the withheld information and nothing around it.
Score 1: Some redactions are close-fitting and others remove whole sentences or paragraphs to withhold part of them.
Score 0: Redactions cover whole paragraphs, pages, or records to withhold something within them.
Not applicable: The organisation redacted nothing from the copy.

The law it reflects

This criterion reflects Article 15(4) of the UK GDPR. That mapping is a guide, not a legal test: conformance is judged against the criterion, not the article.

See H5 in context in the full standard.